Thursday, April 23, 2015
Thursday night solo jetted bottle fat
Ate a little dinner then headed out to the forest with the Cooker and the dog on and in the back, respectively - musta been sometime after 6.30. Left the carpark and peeled right onto the blue walking track for a start, following it through til it crossed the bike track which we then got onto for a bit. Crossed the dump access road, then through the woods for a bit, then hung a left onto the walking track, cruising along this for a while, passing two lots of stunned walkers with small fluffy dogs that Jet bowled on up to, sniffed, and continued on. A wee while down here I spotted a singletrack off to the left, so leaped onto it and followed it, twisting here and there, til it crossed the access road again and twisted and turned through the forest til it found the original walking track i'd started on. Followed this for ages, til it eventually crossed the central bike track. Stayed on the walk track for a while longer til we got to a horse track, which I mistakenly took. Too bumpy for easy riding. Got to the bike track again and rode it for a bit, til the walking track crossed it again, so rode this for a while through, crossing first a road then the bike track again and following the walking track through backtracking a little south, then out towards the beach and following a sub internal road parallel to the main trail nearer the beach, still southwards for a bit, then followed my nose through the pine-tree'd dunes to the main bike track. Followed it north for a bit til it rose up onto the top of the dune, the sea high up the beach and the front dune eroded, i think from the remnant of cyclone Pam. At this point I headed south again, on the dune-top trail, following it to it's end where it came back to the main trail, and then turned around and followed it again north, then continued on through the main drag, hanging the left back into the main park trail, a 29er dude on my tail for a bit, then when the bike track went right, i continued on through til I got back onto a walking track and headed north, spotting the other guy's lights now and then over on my right, and then across muddy road as I descended of a sweet high dune down to it. From here we just followed the usual drag through, not liking the usual bit I dont like, and Jet slowing right down through these final legs. Where the trail heads left and through to the cleared area before coming back to the carpark, went straightahead along a forest road, then along main forest roads right then left and with one little last blast through some trees into the back of the bmx pumpy jumpy tracks area and back to the car at 8pm.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Mt Greyrillas in the Saturday Mist
Jet and me jettisoned ourselves from the city in a very smelly leaking-damp Fiat, making good time to Sefton by 12.05. Nelson turned up not long after and we transferred to the 'Rona, round through Balcairn and up the gravel to Lake Janet. 12.40something as we rode off up the hill. Long grind, always longer than you remember, into the mist. Evidence (fresh tracks) all the way up of a 4wd having gone ahead, and finally up in the fog, as we were wondering whether this was the last corner to round before the tower would loom, there appeared said 4wd on it's way down. Tower then loomed in the fog, and the temperature and wind were unfavourable for hanging around so straight onto the singletrack we went, and down, taking the steeper scree strewn line from the ridge down to the sidling trail.
Feet were soon soaked through from the wet tussocks overhanging the singletrack, but the trail was sweet and we cruised at a comfortable pace down. Jet loving every minute of it, sticking just behind Nelson who was leading the way. When we stopped, he'd go sniffing off up or down the hill, locking on to the scent of pigs or hares or deer and having to be called back before he buggered off too far. First couple of sets of hairpins and we were still in the fog, but not too much farther down we got under it and could see sun soaked hillsides across the valley - very local this cloud was. Nelson rode the rocky drop that avoids a couple hairpins, but I was feeling chickenshit-cautious and rode the two switchies. From here it was around to the wee saddle and heading into the bush. Very damp down here, with roots and rocks slippery-as, making caution my middle name. Fun though, fun fun fun in the bits between the switchbacks, most of which had me just keeping left foot clipped, and manhandling the bike around in a couple of steps (plant front wheel, swing back round, maneuver front around...) and riding on. Nelson cleaned heaps of them, but got off on a few too and crashed on at least one.
So many different environments encountered down through here it's hard to keep their sequence straight in my head. After the initial bunch of switchbacks, a couple of longer stretches, then finally the best long one after the step-to-rocky-corner Chris crashed on one time. One more switchback and then the run down to creek crossing. After this, dryish rocky bits, pungent smell of beech dew, then into an ever-shortening-distances-between-switchbacks sequence down towards the creek lower down, and then more longer drier bits onto the ridge (off which goes the track back up to the fire lookout and 'Lake' Janet and also the lookout on the ridge) and then into pine which was probably the best condition I've ever seen, and then more jungle and slick roots, and more dry beech and then open -what's normally a quagmire but was still dry-ish from the long dry summer - then back into beech jungle, more slick roots and ruts, and the eventually the flatlands and bridge and then out to the end. All very nice. Mud spattered and happy we emerged from the woods, encouraged Jet to grab a big drink from the river, and we were into the climb up the road that never ends. Finally back to the car 2.40pm, 2 hours solid riding - I guess cos we hardly ever stopped..
Feet were soon soaked through from the wet tussocks overhanging the singletrack, but the trail was sweet and we cruised at a comfortable pace down. Jet loving every minute of it, sticking just behind Nelson who was leading the way. When we stopped, he'd go sniffing off up or down the hill, locking on to the scent of pigs or hares or deer and having to be called back before he buggered off too far. First couple of sets of hairpins and we were still in the fog, but not too much farther down we got under it and could see sun soaked hillsides across the valley - very local this cloud was. Nelson rode the rocky drop that avoids a couple hairpins, but I was feeling chickenshit-cautious and rode the two switchies. From here it was around to the wee saddle and heading into the bush. Very damp down here, with roots and rocks slippery-as, making caution my middle name. Fun though, fun fun fun in the bits between the switchbacks, most of which had me just keeping left foot clipped, and manhandling the bike around in a couple of steps (plant front wheel, swing back round, maneuver front around...) and riding on. Nelson cleaned heaps of them, but got off on a few too and crashed on at least one.
So many different environments encountered down through here it's hard to keep their sequence straight in my head. After the initial bunch of switchbacks, a couple of longer stretches, then finally the best long one after the step-to-rocky-corner Chris crashed on one time. One more switchback and then the run down to creek crossing. After this, dryish rocky bits, pungent smell of beech dew, then into an ever-shortening-distances-between-switchbacks sequence down towards the creek lower down, and then more longer drier bits onto the ridge (off which goes the track back up to the fire lookout and 'Lake' Janet and also the lookout on the ridge) and then into pine which was probably the best condition I've ever seen, and then more jungle and slick roots, and more dry beech and then open -what's normally a quagmire but was still dry-ish from the long dry summer - then back into beech jungle, more slick roots and ruts, and the eventually the flatlands and bridge and then out to the end. All very nice. Mud spattered and happy we emerged from the woods, encouraged Jet to grab a big drink from the river, and we were into the climb up the road that never ends. Finally back to the car 2.40pm, 2 hours solid riding - I guess cos we hardly ever stopped..
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Thursday night eastern jam
Ended up being able to get out, so Nelson turned up to my place and installed new cleats into his new shoes, and I installed the new 40t Revolution Components replacement for the breakage of a couple weeks month(!) ago, as well as a brand spanking new chain - which meshed nicely - indicating my drivetrain wear was not left too late. We headed out to Scumner, encountering weirdly heavy traffic (especially for 6.30 pm) out Humphreys Drive and over the Ferrymead bridge. Settled down a bit after that (only thing i could find that might have explained it was a TEDx thing at Sumner School, but that started at 6...?) Parked up Evans Pass and hit the trail. Ugh, first rocks caught me out but Nelson cleaned it up. Gasped for a fair bit of air all the way out, and the new chain on the front ring was a bit noisy in the lowest gear, but not too bad. Heaps of merino lambs along the climby bits too - totally getting in the way.
Descent to Livingston Col was smooth, but not majorly fast. A few more sheep just after the boardwalk, but they cleared pretty quick. Climb round to Breeze was tiresome for me, but Nelson creamed it, and then crashed off on the flat up top, distracted fiddling with his light then caught a rut... heheh. Descent to Breeze was smooth and pumpy but again, not that fast - this time mainly due to the tall dead-head grass tops making it difficult to navigate by reflecting heaps of light back and blocking the view of the trail ahead. Nelson close-shave slid a little on the cattlstop at the bottom.
He did more fiddling with his light here at the Col and then we took the original trail below the road around and out to the end, watching for holes but not finding any. Pretty good run, but again. long grass tops. Across the road and up the hill for the Breeze Bay trail, me sweating up a storm here due to lack of wind and hot climbing. Bit of a break just over the stile and I delayered. Got going and this trail was REALLY hard to see. Lonnng grass tops and narrow, with the big exposures below and hidden slippery rocks (from dew and previous days rain and lack of sun), was a little dicey, but fun. Cleaned most of it, then blasted the final bits back down to the next stile. More lighting adjustments here by Nelson, then off down for the blast down Anaconda. Not too much dust while following Nelson, but I backed off a little. Good speed all the way down, brief pause on the tail then off again, to finish it all off.
Up the road, and onto the singletrack off up steeep, walking only a couple of small sections, in the guts/switchbacks, and then up alongside the fence. Up the gravel, chuff chuff sweat, around the road and then up the farm track to Godley track again, for the final blast down back to Evans. My head light ran out of juice on the descent, leaving me with just the handlebar light for all the fun rocky stuff of the last several hundred metres. The rocks' shadows were like mountains receding as I approached. Was surprisingly rideable, tho it had allowed Nelson to majorly gap me. Back to the car about 8.30.
Descent to Livingston Col was smooth, but not majorly fast. A few more sheep just after the boardwalk, but they cleared pretty quick. Climb round to Breeze was tiresome for me, but Nelson creamed it, and then crashed off on the flat up top, distracted fiddling with his light then caught a rut... heheh. Descent to Breeze was smooth and pumpy but again, not that fast - this time mainly due to the tall dead-head grass tops making it difficult to navigate by reflecting heaps of light back and blocking the view of the trail ahead. Nelson close-shave slid a little on the cattlstop at the bottom.
He did more fiddling with his light here at the Col and then we took the original trail below the road around and out to the end, watching for holes but not finding any. Pretty good run, but again. long grass tops. Across the road and up the hill for the Breeze Bay trail, me sweating up a storm here due to lack of wind and hot climbing. Bit of a break just over the stile and I delayered. Got going and this trail was REALLY hard to see. Lonnng grass tops and narrow, with the big exposures below and hidden slippery rocks (from dew and previous days rain and lack of sun), was a little dicey, but fun. Cleaned most of it, then blasted the final bits back down to the next stile. More lighting adjustments here by Nelson, then off down for the blast down Anaconda. Not too much dust while following Nelson, but I backed off a little. Good speed all the way down, brief pause on the tail then off again, to finish it all off.
Up the road, and onto the singletrack off up steeep, walking only a couple of small sections, in the guts/switchbacks, and then up alongside the fence. Up the gravel, chuff chuff sweat, around the road and then up the farm track to Godley track again, for the final blast down back to Evans. My head light ran out of juice on the descent, leaving me with just the handlebar light for all the fun rocky stuff of the last several hundred metres. The rocks' shadows were like mountains receding as I approached. Was surprisingly rideable, tho it had allowed Nelson to majorly gap me. Back to the car about 8.30.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Sunday morning ramble
Was allowed out of the cage this morning, for a second ride in 2 days. Made Steve's by 9am to find Wazza and then Steve came out and then Wayno arrived. No sign of anyone else, so we headed up the gruntsbury to the top. Warm morning down on the flat, but as we got higher the wind got stronger and colder, til at the top it was nasty. No where to stop so we kept on round Vernon, finding Mark (on the Wo) and Marie part way down - chatting to one of the Gov's Bay dudes. One by one we continued on, with Steve the first to depart. Then me. Good wee blast down here, riding off the track to let climbers by a few times. Straight across Rapaki-top and straight into the Witch. Feeling pretty good, cleaned everything climbing around, looking for somewhere out of the wind to regroup. Paused briefly to let a woman ahead of me walk up some rocks, then followed her up and around til she let me by. Then caught quickly up to the dude she was riding with, who was riding rather slowly through the fast bits. Stopped out of the wind in the lee of the bank on the road and awaited the arrival of the rest of the crew.
Up the road, riding with and chatting with Mark about the fatness. At Castlerock the slow couple were paused, and two guys dropped in ahead of us. I gave them a bit of a start then chased. Progressively reeling them in til I was right on their tails at the first hairpin. The rock just before this tho, my front end bottomed out and as I went round the hairpin I heard some hiss, which very quickly developed into some whoosh, then the front end was really hard to handle, fighting me while I tried to scrub all my speed off. Stopped, wheel off, replacement tube in while everyone rolled on by (second front flat in 2 days!, grrr). Mark stopped to keep me company and we caught the others up at the road and on around under the Gondola we proceeded.
Clambered up Mt Pleasant, which for some reason was very hard work. I guess a little washed out from yesterday's ride, plus the 32:36 granny is quite a push. Finally, glad to be at the top, sat out of the wind to recuperate. Others all rolled up in ones or twos and after a time away we went off down. Fantastic blast down here, I was ducking and weaving my way really enjoying it. Into Greenwood and again with the rocketship. Somehow overtook the (slow) couple from earlier (they must have taken the road around to the old Greenwood entrance) and bombed on down. Paused after Gloopy Gulch to see about a break and Wazza turned up and Steve wasn't too far behind, but could see some people below going slow, so the challenge was set to catch them. Fanged down the rocks and swoopy bits, but sconed my pedal which kicked both feet out and smacked the same pedal into the back of the foot it'd been kicked out of. Luckily I was perched above my seat and not thrown. Around Dave's bits and caught the green/yellow fluoro woman before the creek corner, overtaking her guy there, him walking the rocks and saying "don't make it look so easy" to me. Bombed down to catch their other two at the rocky ups, cleaning the first, but screwing up the second due to them being stopped right at the top. Final weave and blast down to the stile and there are the two I'd chased on Castlerock...
Regrouped again, slow couple to pass again, and into Captain Thomas. Good blast down here, with Mark and me catching up to a guy on a shiny Nicolai at the shitty-gate. Followed him at a distance all the way down, cleaning all the rocky bits, including my usual nemesis the top one. Nicolai guy got off on the lower of the two lower ones, which made me ride it really slowly, then he walked up the climb after this, which I held back for and cleaned most of. Mark, fatly, managed about the same. Final blast down the openwide stuff, and into the switchbacks, Mark taking all the vertical shortcuts, then full speed ahead across the slope and into the valley for the last blast down to the end, all on the tail of Nicolai guy.
Coffee and some kai at DotCom and then into the wind home, dragging out Linwood Ave about as slowly as is possible. Tired getting home about 10 to One.
Up the road, riding with and chatting with Mark about the fatness. At Castlerock the slow couple were paused, and two guys dropped in ahead of us. I gave them a bit of a start then chased. Progressively reeling them in til I was right on their tails at the first hairpin. The rock just before this tho, my front end bottomed out and as I went round the hairpin I heard some hiss, which very quickly developed into some whoosh, then the front end was really hard to handle, fighting me while I tried to scrub all my speed off. Stopped, wheel off, replacement tube in while everyone rolled on by (second front flat in 2 days!, grrr). Mark stopped to keep me company and we caught the others up at the road and on around under the Gondola we proceeded.
Clambered up Mt Pleasant, which for some reason was very hard work. I guess a little washed out from yesterday's ride, plus the 32:36 granny is quite a push. Finally, glad to be at the top, sat out of the wind to recuperate. Others all rolled up in ones or twos and after a time away we went off down. Fantastic blast down here, I was ducking and weaving my way really enjoying it. Into Greenwood and again with the rocketship. Somehow overtook the (slow) couple from earlier (they must have taken the road around to the old Greenwood entrance) and bombed on down. Paused after Gloopy Gulch to see about a break and Wazza turned up and Steve wasn't too far behind, but could see some people below going slow, so the challenge was set to catch them. Fanged down the rocks and swoopy bits, but sconed my pedal which kicked both feet out and smacked the same pedal into the back of the foot it'd been kicked out of. Luckily I was perched above my seat and not thrown. Around Dave's bits and caught the green/yellow fluoro woman before the creek corner, overtaking her guy there, him walking the rocks and saying "don't make it look so easy" to me. Bombed down to catch their other two at the rocky ups, cleaning the first, but screwing up the second due to them being stopped right at the top. Final weave and blast down to the stile and there are the two I'd chased on Castlerock...
Regrouped again, slow couple to pass again, and into Captain Thomas. Good blast down here, with Mark and me catching up to a guy on a shiny Nicolai at the shitty-gate. Followed him at a distance all the way down, cleaning all the rocky bits, including my usual nemesis the top one. Nicolai guy got off on the lower of the two lower ones, which made me ride it really slowly, then he walked up the climb after this, which I held back for and cleaned most of. Mark, fatly, managed about the same. Final blast down the openwide stuff, and into the switchbacks, Mark taking all the vertical shortcuts, then full speed ahead across the slope and into the valley for the last blast down to the end, all on the tail of Nicolai guy.
Coffee and some kai at DotCom and then into the wind home, dragging out Linwood Ave about as slowly as is possible. Tired getting home about 10 to One.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Mucky Saturday Hanmer trails
Spent Thursday and Friday nights in Hanmer. Had the 5Spot, and was too busy being dad on Friday when the weather was good, so left with Saturday morning after the exit from the rental house to ride in, with rain having not long finished after a night of it... Low cloud and mist around the place. Headed up Chattertons Rd past the camp and up the gravel for a while, then onto the walking track at the end and along this for a bit before hanging a right back up the hill towards, eventually, the pylon. Walked the steep up under the pylon but rode the rest, with caution within the slick woods. These trails had not seen much action of late, with no evidence of tire tracks anywhere. A few nice swoopy bits and a fair bit of climbing and past the beehives and then out to the Jacks Pass Rd and the water tank.
Across the road and into Tank Track. Much changed since last I rode it, ie, all the trees gone... (It's 4 years since I'd last ridden in Hanmer, on the return to Canty on our Westport/Reefton PFMTBC trip - and longer still since last on the Tank). Lots of fun, tho, cautiously on account of the grease, and the end is different to memory as it turns up at the intersection of Flax, Swamp, and Swoop.
A couple of dads and their boys were here, chatted briefly then off I went up Yankee Zephyr. Good climb, young trees in place where last time it was all freshly cleared. Lovely once up in the Fir forest as it loops into a wee gully and back out into the open. Then into the swoopy swoops of the Yankee, and a few corners in my front wheel started to behave weirdly. Ugh, slow leak... Stopped and made a very mucky extraction of tube and patched it. Couldn't for the life of me find the perpetrator in the tire, but patched what was probably a blackberry or gorse leak in the tube, reassembled and got riding. Swoop swoop the rest of it and onto Swamp Track. Not fond memories of it from last time, tho the surface looks better than when it was first built, but decided to ride back up it to Swoop.
Down (and up) Swoop, lots of fun, some interesting sketchiness, blasting down the hill and around and back and forth eventually getting onto the flat, and heading across to Timberland for the climb. Steeper and longer than my memory had made it, but cleaned it all no problem and decided to give Red Rocks a good blast. This was sweet.
Nice climb in really dark tight douglas fir forest, then everything else on the rest of it has grown so much since I's last there. Cool track this, even when the roots and rocks are slippery as shit. After the Eeny Meeny trail turn off the main track gets a bit boring, but FAST. Long straights down hill smooth and flowing. Out the end and up the Dog Stream track.
All the way up to Detox, then climbed this, again, longer than memory, and then down. Sweet run down here too, with only one dab out for a super slick sluiced clay section, which wasn't actually as slippery as it looked. Straight across into Mach1 passing a dad and son here, and then catching up to a family (mum, dad and two young girls) who let me pass and on I went, weaving and swirving and generally avoiding slipping out or crashing into trees.
From here I took flat simple tracks, Easy Rider mostly, but found my way onto Alligator Alley at one stage too, getting back and rolling into town, mudspleckled and happy, a couple hours riding under my belt. Wandered into the Hot Pools (as a spectator ($2)) and stupidly didn't have a soak (even tho I could have so easily).
Across the road and into Tank Track. Much changed since last I rode it, ie, all the trees gone... (It's 4 years since I'd last ridden in Hanmer, on the return to Canty on our Westport/Reefton PFMTBC trip - and longer still since last on the Tank). Lots of fun, tho, cautiously on account of the grease, and the end is different to memory as it turns up at the intersection of Flax, Swamp, and Swoop.
A couple of dads and their boys were here, chatted briefly then off I went up Yankee Zephyr. Good climb, young trees in place where last time it was all freshly cleared. Lovely once up in the Fir forest as it loops into a wee gully and back out into the open. Then into the swoopy swoops of the Yankee, and a few corners in my front wheel started to behave weirdly. Ugh, slow leak... Stopped and made a very mucky extraction of tube and patched it. Couldn't for the life of me find the perpetrator in the tire, but patched what was probably a blackberry or gorse leak in the tube, reassembled and got riding. Swoop swoop the rest of it and onto Swamp Track. Not fond memories of it from last time, tho the surface looks better than when it was first built, but decided to ride back up it to Swoop.
Down (and up) Swoop, lots of fun, some interesting sketchiness, blasting down the hill and around and back and forth eventually getting onto the flat, and heading across to Timberland for the climb. Steeper and longer than my memory had made it, but cleaned it all no problem and decided to give Red Rocks a good blast. This was sweet.
Nice climb in really dark tight douglas fir forest, then everything else on the rest of it has grown so much since I's last there. Cool track this, even when the roots and rocks are slippery as shit. After the Eeny Meeny trail turn off the main track gets a bit boring, but FAST. Long straights down hill smooth and flowing. Out the end and up the Dog Stream track.
All the way up to Detox, then climbed this, again, longer than memory, and then down. Sweet run down here too, with only one dab out for a super slick sluiced clay section, which wasn't actually as slippery as it looked. Straight across into Mach1 passing a dad and son here, and then catching up to a family (mum, dad and two young girls) who let me pass and on I went, weaving and swirving and generally avoiding slipping out or crashing into trees.
From here I took flat simple tracks, Easy Rider mostly, but found my way onto Alligator Alley at one stage too, getting back and rolling into town, mudspleckled and happy, a couple hours riding under my belt. Wandered into the Hot Pools (as a spectator ($2)) and stupidly didn't have a soak (even tho I could have so easily).
Wednesday, April 08, 2015
Twosdee night, first-lit Hunt Traverse Nun
Bit of posse action last night. Top of Huntsbury there assembled the group at 6.22, me finding Steve, Pete, Robin, Wazza and Tones ready to roll. In twos, for a start, we climbed - with Wazza, Pete and me reaching the top first. Felt pretty good riding up, all that 'weight' training I've been doing on the fatty must be helping. Big group of riders were approaching on Vernon so we hit the Traverse, and I had a good spin around here, tho lost my chain in the dipper round under the 'loaf as we passed a few riders coming the other way (one of which blinded Tony (seemingly deliberately)). After this I was behind Pete and Warren, and finally got to see what they were on about with regards the dust raised by the riders in front! A couple of times the trail completely disappeared behind Warren (on account of his skidz!). Regrouped top of Vic and then headed into the Thompsons, swoopy wee blast through these, then across the road and up the Summit.
Progressively strung ourselves out along the road, with Pete and me pausing to regroup just before Worsley Rd start, then riding off up with Tony and Wazza, all regrouping up top of the Nun. 3 other riders here, who took off not long after we arrived. Then once the others had assembled some other lights were pressing up behind so we dropped in. I took the lead and rarked up the dust for the rest. Managed not to drop my chain down here, but down in the squiggles below the rockiest section, but before halfway, I swooped through an armoured corner and a missing flagstone made my wheel catch the next one, snakebiting instantly. As I got started to get sorted, Pete stopped to lend a hand then Tony arrived and flatted at exactly the same spot! So we fixed and got riding only to catch up to Wazza who'd flatted further down. Bloody Nun!!! (Steve said that's 8 punctures between 4 riders in the last two rides down here). Steve and Robin were waiting at the halfway mark (not sure if they'd been all the way down and back up or not...?). Short regroup here (my chain had popped off again, i think here(?) - sorted that) and we continued our merry ways down, me attempting to be lightweight on my back end... Good run down the rest and managed not to drop the chain again.
Up the road to top of Vic, except for Wazza who took the second Thompson. Tony peeled off up top here, to head home via the top of Vic Park and down Crashmare. The rest of us headed back around the Traverse, into the wind this time. Big posse at the old rest spot, who Steve and Robin stopped to chat to (unbeknownst to the rest of us who waited for them wondering where they were further on). Anyway, Pete, Wazza and myself took interesting lines through the tussocks off piste down to the landing strip then scattered bunnies across here, where we waited to see the other's lights.
Over the fence, and down through the tussock-tight singletrack and over the gate and down through the jumpy drops riding some and bypassing others. Back to the car, 8ish? my lights having held out quite well considering I'd only managed a half hour top up charge before heading out.
Progressively strung ourselves out along the road, with Pete and me pausing to regroup just before Worsley Rd start, then riding off up with Tony and Wazza, all regrouping up top of the Nun. 3 other riders here, who took off not long after we arrived. Then once the others had assembled some other lights were pressing up behind so we dropped in. I took the lead and rarked up the dust for the rest. Managed not to drop my chain down here, but down in the squiggles below the rockiest section, but before halfway, I swooped through an armoured corner and a missing flagstone made my wheel catch the next one, snakebiting instantly. As I got started to get sorted, Pete stopped to lend a hand then Tony arrived and flatted at exactly the same spot! So we fixed and got riding only to catch up to Wazza who'd flatted further down. Bloody Nun!!! (Steve said that's 8 punctures between 4 riders in the last two rides down here). Steve and Robin were waiting at the halfway mark (not sure if they'd been all the way down and back up or not...?). Short regroup here (my chain had popped off again, i think here(?) - sorted that) and we continued our merry ways down, me attempting to be lightweight on my back end... Good run down the rest and managed not to drop the chain again.
Up the road to top of Vic, except for Wazza who took the second Thompson. Tony peeled off up top here, to head home via the top of Vic Park and down Crashmare. The rest of us headed back around the Traverse, into the wind this time. Big posse at the old rest spot, who Steve and Robin stopped to chat to (unbeknownst to the rest of us who waited for them wondering where they were further on). Anyway, Pete, Wazza and myself took interesting lines through the tussocks off piste down to the landing strip then scattered bunnies across here, where we waited to see the other's lights.
Over the fence, and down through the tussock-tight singletrack and over the gate and down through the jumpy drops riding some and bypassing others. Back to the car, 8ish? my lights having held out quite well considering I'd only managed a half hour top up charge before heading out.
Monday, April 06, 2015
Yeaster Monday View Hillage
About 10am took myself off on the Fatty up the road to Chorlton, and on up View Hill Rd seemingly into the cloud. But, as I approached it it lifted and the sun broke through as I climbed the steepest section. Fatty climbed the steeps all good, and I managed to too. Under the big pines on the intersection that had collected their own moisture from the clouds I stopped and adjusted my numb crotch, and my seat too. Took about an hour to get up to the gate, then another 10-15 to the top. Spent a bit of time up there absorbing the view and then donned the helmet and skedaddled down. Immediately became splattered by the dewy spleckage flying off the tires. Bumpy track! Stopped part way down to let more air from the tires. This improved grip and relieved some of the bumpiness. Little bit of off piste and a lot of on. Once through the gate the momentum built and the grip and the smoothness of the trail due to the fatness of the tires was phenomenal. Bike just felt so planted, bombing down. Stopped a couple times for breathers. Below the pines the gravel started and so did the speed. Flying down, so planted, so fast. Epic speed, and confidence inspiring braking too. In no time flat I was down on the last fast blastings of gravel before Chorlton and the tar seal. Then it was rocket ship speed and humming down the road, avoid the cars coming up (giving a couple of them quite a fright), riding in the swale on the side of the road a couple times and along the edge for some of the ways. Then, into Lukes Rd and up, over down, more roaring speed and then across the neighbour's paddock and up our drive. 1 hour 45 all up. Straight into my togs and to the beach to meet the family and into the cold cold sea. Excellent.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday night Jetster in the forest
Jet and me headed up top of Worsley Rd after 5.30. I's on the Turner (for a change), with the granny back onto 32:36 (awaiting a new 40t), which certainly hurts when you're not used to it, but is actually pretty rideable. Up the main rutsville main drag, all the way. Cleaned it all bar one breather. Just before the bottom of the 'bag I hung a right and headed down the Braille Trail. Rolled over or skirted round every jump, discovering that most of them you could roll - although the ones you can't roll all have big holes so it's probably better safer than sorry... All the way down across the 4wd access trail, and below (like the last time I explored it) to the pylon track, then back up both of them, not struggling too bad.
Eventually back up to Worsley's and on up the access entry track to the Tommys et al. At the usual resting spot, I found another rider. We chatted for quite a while then I went up and he headed down. I checked out Nick's new access to Debbie Does, which proved too scary steep, so walked it, rode some, walked a little more then rode on. All the way down thru the darkening forest into the taller stuff below the cliff, and just before the corner round into Alice's Restaurant, I detoured across onto another new one (something knuckle...(MOOSE)), which also proved too steep for me on my own. Walked a bunch of it, rode a little, and walked a bunch more, eventually making it to the bottom - trail junction central, bottom of Tommy's, Goat's, Alice's and Fight Club.
Up the exit trail then straight up the steep gnarly internal guts track, managing to stay on top of my gear all the way except for one gasping-breathing stop not far below the pylon gap. Onwards up from here, right on up, standing and cranking, to the cliff top lookout and light starting to get pretty damned low, straight into Wayne's World, much difficulty seeing, but going with the flow, and then blazing into Fight Club, parts of which were sweet, others, dark as hell. Dropped Jet and had to wait for him just before the log feature. Onwards down and out after 7.30 by now and by the time I made the top juncture, it was really dark in the final forest descent, out to the car and home just past 8.
Eventually back up to Worsley's and on up the access entry track to the Tommys et al. At the usual resting spot, I found another rider. We chatted for quite a while then I went up and he headed down. I checked out Nick's new access to Debbie Does, which proved too scary steep, so walked it, rode some, walked a little more then rode on. All the way down thru the darkening forest into the taller stuff below the cliff, and just before the corner round into Alice's Restaurant, I detoured across onto another new one (something knuckle...(MOOSE)), which also proved too steep for me on my own. Walked a bunch of it, rode a little, and walked a bunch more, eventually making it to the bottom - trail junction central, bottom of Tommy's, Goat's, Alice's and Fight Club.
Up the exit trail then straight up the steep gnarly internal guts track, managing to stay on top of my gear all the way except for one gasping-breathing stop not far below the pylon gap. Onwards up from here, right on up, standing and cranking, to the cliff top lookout and light starting to get pretty damned low, straight into Wayne's World, much difficulty seeing, but going with the flow, and then blazing into Fight Club, parts of which were sweet, others, dark as hell. Dropped Jet and had to wait for him just before the log feature. Onwards down and out after 7.30 by now and by the time I made the top juncture, it was really dark in the final forest descent, out to the car and home just past 8.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Saturday evening, beached
Quick fatty ride this evening. left home well after 5 and ended up parking out top end of North Beach, rode in and up the trails, exploring non-bike trails and the beach and the dunes and all over the place. Was interesting. Found some quite cool wee gems of trails, perfect for fat tires, that would be useless on regular tires. Meandered along the beach, into the dunes, along trails, back onto the beach. Ended up right up at Spencer Park, and then rode various trails back near the beach again, til eventually took the wrongway trail back in round the back of the Closed area, then along a road for a while, then into a walk track that ended up crossing the southern trail before the Gazebo Hill. Here, took a trail along the fenceline and climbed back up onto the hill and down chasing a couple. Then it was through the last section of trail before cutting out and back to the car.
Brief stop at Parklands for a couple of brews I've not had before, and then a dvd from Shirley and I was home just after 7.
Brief stop at Parklands for a couple of brews I've not had before, and then a dvd from Shirley and I was home just after 7.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Tuesday night quick fatty and skinny hills
Nelson met at mine and we were thinking we were meeting the crew up top of Huntsbury at 6.22. Steve, who'd organised it (as usual) had remembered he was busy, and so had announced he wouldn't be riding. We got there at 6.15 and were well ready to ride at the appointed time, and no one showed... Txt went out to Wazza and Andy, and Wazza rung me from the top of the hill above us. Andy's text I didn't see til later. Decided with Wazz to go our own ways as he was doing the full flat-hill-flat loop ride from home. So. Me on the Fat and Nelson on the Skinny Singlist, we were definitely coming from both ends of the riding spectrum. We both struggled our way up the jumpy singletrack and then onwards up the single to the landing strip. On up the gravel, fat gripping good, and keeping a good clip, especially Nelson on the one choice of gear not actually capable of going slow. A few looks of shock and awe by other riders parked up on the road, as we rolled on through and onto Vernon. Bit of a roll through til a big bunch of climbers rambled past, then we got going down the old line with rocks and switchbacks. Steering under braking on the fatbike was interesting, and disconcerting, with the steering becoming kinds stiff. Down the fast bits and around, another pause for someone else just before the wee pondy-dam thing, then blazed off again and through the finish.
More smiles and awed faces at our apparent insanity, fatty and skinny, as we rolled through the top of Rapaki, and straight into the Witch Hill climb. The rocks and the fat tires made this hard work work for me and so, Nelson pulled away, and I lagged behind. Really, what my problem was was too much air in my tires. Onto the road and Nelson stayed on the new walking track above the road while I rode the first bit then stayed back down on the road. Up under the Tors and then into the Castle Rock descent. Feeling a little smoother in here, and getting some good speed, and rolling and bouncing over the rockies, but still struggling a bit - thinking well it's not designed for this kinda riding, and that's what I've got the Turner for, right? Round the switchbacks, not too much of a gap between the two of us, but into the climb and Nelson's dropped me again. Fat bikes aren't racers. Down the last rocks and then onto the Bridle Path top. Short rest and on up the road back to the top, then mega speed down under the Tors, into a tuck and the big wheels really got rolling! Down the road, and into Witch again, tires gripping on the rocky climb betterer than anything else, and then I started to actually remember how to ride a rigid bike and down through the rocky lumpy shit I was popping and hopping properly and getting into the swing of things again.
Light was starting to fade and Nelson didn't fancy the singlespeed up the first steeper bits of Vernon (and tbh neither did I), so we stayed on the road from Rapaki, but at Farm Track we hung a left up onto the singletrack again and climbed away, Nelson gapping me as usual. Bouncy bounce down to the road and here I released some air from my tires. Into the singletrack and oh my fucking god what a difference. Grip. Control. Comfort. All three and man what a difference a few psi makes. Into the steep descent then bombed it down the gravel road and I've never felt such grip on that surface. No skittering or ricochet, just planted grip, control, and speeeeed. Down onto the landing strip and speed carried on through to the fence. Over this, and down the singletrack through the tussocks, grip and rocks not a problem this time. And it was even quieter. Then over the gate and down the jumpy trail, me missing all the jumps as I'm still not 100% confident of my control of this beast. Over the last fence and to the car at 7.40.
So, ideally, a bit more air for any roady bits and climbs, then down a few psi for the tech.
More smiles and awed faces at our apparent insanity, fatty and skinny, as we rolled through the top of Rapaki, and straight into the Witch Hill climb. The rocks and the fat tires made this hard work work for me and so, Nelson pulled away, and I lagged behind. Really, what my problem was was too much air in my tires. Onto the road and Nelson stayed on the new walking track above the road while I rode the first bit then stayed back down on the road. Up under the Tors and then into the Castle Rock descent. Feeling a little smoother in here, and getting some good speed, and rolling and bouncing over the rockies, but still struggling a bit - thinking well it's not designed for this kinda riding, and that's what I've got the Turner for, right? Round the switchbacks, not too much of a gap between the two of us, but into the climb and Nelson's dropped me again. Fat bikes aren't racers. Down the last rocks and then onto the Bridle Path top. Short rest and on up the road back to the top, then mega speed down under the Tors, into a tuck and the big wheels really got rolling! Down the road, and into Witch again, tires gripping on the rocky climb betterer than anything else, and then I started to actually remember how to ride a rigid bike and down through the rocky lumpy shit I was popping and hopping properly and getting into the swing of things again.
Light was starting to fade and Nelson didn't fancy the singlespeed up the first steeper bits of Vernon (and tbh neither did I), so we stayed on the road from Rapaki, but at Farm Track we hung a left up onto the singletrack again and climbed away, Nelson gapping me as usual. Bouncy bounce down to the road and here I released some air from my tires. Into the singletrack and oh my fucking god what a difference. Grip. Control. Comfort. All three and man what a difference a few psi makes. Into the steep descent then bombed it down the gravel road and I've never felt such grip on that surface. No skittering or ricochet, just planted grip, control, and speeeeed. Down onto the landing strip and speed carried on through to the fence. Over this, and down the singletrack through the tussocks, grip and rocks not a problem this time. And it was even quieter. Then over the gate and down the jumpy trail, me missing all the jumps as I'm still not 100% confident of my control of this beast. Over the last fence and to the car at 7.40.
So, ideally, a bit more air for any roady bits and climbs, then down a few psi for the tech.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Thursday Fat Bottling
Nelson picked me and Jet up and we left my place about 6 for the Sandpit. Good spin round at a good clip most of the way. Jet was super fast for the first half but started to wane after our brief visit to Spencer Park, as did I. Hard work keeping up with Nelson on those big fat tires. I played a little with air pressures. Putting a bit of air in while we were at Spencer Park. Changed the handling and speed quite markedly. Just before the 'new' section towards the end, which is really shitty bumpy, I let the air I'd carried from Spencerville out, and some, and continued on. Bump compliance was improved, but resistance and self-steering was increased. The fatty definitely is not gonna win any races, but hell, that ain't what they're for... They's for fun. After a bit of a muck around and Nelson having a go on the Fattster, we got home about 8.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Sunday Hog's Fat
Family weekend at Castle Hill Village, wandering around the limestone monoliths on Saturday, and a quick look with O and H up the Castle Hill end of the Hogs Back in the evening, as well as rolling around the village on our bikes. This morning, T took O and me around to the Cheeseman Rd and dropped us off up at Texas Flat dead on 11am. From here we ground our way up the Hogs Back, O walking bits and bobs, and me enjoying the climb on the Cooker. Awesome day, sunny and warm, we stopped at Picnic Rock for a few snacks before O led the way over the back and down through that weird moonscape. He did pretty good, but was very careful, which is good. The fat tires stuck to the trail like glue, and really do provide a much smoother ride than a normal sized tire rigid bike. Had a great run down into the bush and down through to the bridge, then a sweet flowing roll down and around, talking to the first people we met, a walking couple, who were interested in the big tires. Onwards and through the ford then up a steep grunt, O walking that bit too, me cleaning it all. Met a rider as we went across the open country before the final climb. Amazing views all round. Fun blast down the semi-rutty ridge track, O nearly crashing due to the ruts, the fat tires just eating them up not phased at all. Two more riders just emerging from the bush as we headed down, fun blast down through the bush here and then back into the village and back to the house at 12.20... No time at all.
Afternoon, we walked up through the Cave Stream, which was awesome, then went back down to the start (stream exit) and had a great time swimming in the river just down stream from the cave. Spent hours there.
Afternoon, we walked up through the Cave Stream, which was awesome, then went back down to the start (stream exit) and had a great time swimming in the river just down stream from the cave. Spent hours there.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Thursday night Godley Snake breakage
Rode from work to Nelson's work and then we navigated the rush hour with traffic finally easing as we eased down the causeway and made our way to Sumner City. Through this and up the hill to Evans Pass. Riding from here, up the grunter of Godley start. Just about to enter the rockiest of the guts I shifted from third to second, and shortly after heard a clunkity clunk then a tinkle and so stopped to ponder what it was. Seems by shifting into 2nd the chain had overshot slightly and grabbed a handful of the 40 toothed granny gear cog which then proceeded to snap off about a third of it... musta been slightly bent and my immense torque was too much for it?? Oh well. will have to try a different brand perhaps, or I'll see if Rev-Comp will help me out with a fresh one. So, had to be careful for the rest of the ride to only go into the 36t. Cleaned out the rest of the climb and onwards, Nelson forever increasing the gap on me.
Brief pause at the landing strip then onwards down, an excellent blast down to Livingston, and good climb (Nelson gapping me again) over and blast down to Breeze. Straight into the climb around the side to the narrow little sheeptrail around above the road, stopping at the start of that to sit on the hillside and look at the sun shining through the clouds on us, and the hang-gliders cruising around from top of Scarborough launch spot. Off again, focusing closely on the narrow track, then up the hill towards the 'round the back' track. Stopped again briefly, this time on the concrete gun-emplacement or whatever it is. On up to the Breeze Bay track, over the stile and onwards. Awesome run round here, both of us flowing really good, our rock feature from last time totally in place and rideable, and all the tight pinches. Cleaned all of it except a couple of tight bits before the flax bush (which was no problem to ride round and past). Sweet sweet flow on from here and down and around to the stile at the end.
Straight over and into the Snake. Tight on Nelson's tail we bombed down here, scuffing and weaving and blazing. One of my best runs down here for a long time. Into the 'Tail and I was close behind all the way til the last bit where I finally lost my chain, stopped, quick reload, and then bombed out down the last bits, into the paddock and across to the car park. Nelson had chased a cat down the trail for the last few hundred metres. Also, somewhere along the line he'd bust a rear spoke. Stopped at the toilet/changing block to tape it up, then hit the climb up the road. Ugh, grovel grovel to the walking track part way up. Up this, struggling without granny, but cleaning it all much higher than last time, not having to walk til the last 10 metres or so near the top.
Up the gravel to the hangglider/parasailer launch site, round the road, and up the grind back to the Godley Track. I led down this back to Evans cos Nelson wanted to baby his rear wheel. I had an excellent blast. Every rock feature I picked a good line on, flowed, with the tail wind everything just seemed quiet and smooth. Fantastic. Round about 7.30 as we got back to the car.
Brief pause at the landing strip then onwards down, an excellent blast down to Livingston, and good climb (Nelson gapping me again) over and blast down to Breeze. Straight into the climb around the side to the narrow little sheeptrail around above the road, stopping at the start of that to sit on the hillside and look at the sun shining through the clouds on us, and the hang-gliders cruising around from top of Scarborough launch spot. Off again, focusing closely on the narrow track, then up the hill towards the 'round the back' track. Stopped again briefly, this time on the concrete gun-emplacement or whatever it is. On up to the Breeze Bay track, over the stile and onwards. Awesome run round here, both of us flowing really good, our rock feature from last time totally in place and rideable, and all the tight pinches. Cleaned all of it except a couple of tight bits before the flax bush (which was no problem to ride round and past). Sweet sweet flow on from here and down and around to the stile at the end.
Straight over and into the Snake. Tight on Nelson's tail we bombed down here, scuffing and weaving and blazing. One of my best runs down here for a long time. Into the 'Tail and I was close behind all the way til the last bit where I finally lost my chain, stopped, quick reload, and then bombed out down the last bits, into the paddock and across to the car park. Nelson had chased a cat down the trail for the last few hundred metres. Also, somewhere along the line he'd bust a rear spoke. Stopped at the toilet/changing block to tape it up, then hit the climb up the road. Ugh, grovel grovel to the walking track part way up. Up this, struggling without granny, but cleaning it all much higher than last time, not having to walk til the last 10 metres or so near the top.
Up the gravel to the hangglider/parasailer launch site, round the road, and up the grind back to the Godley Track. I led down this back to Evans cos Nelson wanted to baby his rear wheel. I had an excellent blast. Every rock feature I picked a good line on, flowed, with the tail wind everything just seemed quiet and smooth. Fantastic. Round about 7.30 as we got back to the car.
Sunday, March 08, 2015
Welcome the Phatness
Picked up a very large box from Fastway on Saturday morning and assembled it as soon as I got home. A Charge Cooker Maxi 2 Took it for a spin out into the redzone and enjoyed the ridiculous traction and go-anywhere capability. Very wet overnight so the usual Sunday was cancelled and as the day cleared up I realised the mood I was in was due to not riding for such a long time...
So, opportunity knocked and I chucked the Cooker on the back of the car and headed out to the Ache with the dog. Straight in and to the right, catching up to a woman on a flash carbon 29er singlespeed, following for a short while then getting by and ahead. The 4.25 inch tires sticking to the trail like nothing else. Practically steers itself round the corners. I took a couple of off-piste lines through here, and any of the sandy blow-outs, the bike just floated right over. Into the climb to the gazebo and then speeding downhill and through into the bit that'd been closed and then out to the dunes.
Along the front and I took a couple of lines that regular tires would have sunk right in to. The sandy blow-outs along the top here proved un-eventful. Further along I tried out one of the hare-trails off the left and bombed over a back dune into some pines, but then spotted some other dogs (big ones) being walked, so hauled up Jet and turned back to the main track. Once at the forest section I took heaps of off piste lines, finding adventure left right and centre. Eventually found one that climbed out to the top of the dune way before the main track does, and followed it along the top. Sweet riding on sand. Found the regular track again, where it rides along the top of the dune, then hung a right and ploughed down the path onto the beach. Fun descent and then with a tail wind we cruised for a km or so along the beach til I spotted a saddle in the dune easily ridden up, finding it to be a horse trail, loose sand though still rideable, and then a right hander back onto one of the main drags in here.
Along this for a while then took a line off to the left where there may have once-upon-a-time been a track but no longer. Up and over through around back up and then into a thicket which I had to turn back out of. Then over and through to a drop down back onto another forestry road further in again. This one ended up being very close to the singletrack that heads north into Spencer Park, so followed this for a while. Then, did some more riding around in the forest finding how close various trails actually are to each other, and was on the trail heading back. Lots of cool lines, wall-ride type things, extra high berms to be ridden, that due to their sandy nature normal bikes would get stalled in. Lots of fun.
Finally back to 'Muddy Rd' and back into the usual loop trails, taking every old disused track I could find. Jet starting to tire a wee bit, and me a little. The fatbike rolls just as easy as a regular bike. And if it is a little harder, that'll only make me stronger, right? The last sort of new section that was built to avoid logging is seriously shittily made, and was okay last time on the 5-Spot, but not okay on the old singlespeed, proved not so bad, but not as good as the Turner. Once back at the final return road, I took one last blast off into the forest, riding randomly in and through and back out, just for the hell of it. Big tires make interesting echoes when sticks and stones whack them. Tis quite an experience.
So. Test number 1 successful. Where else can I ride this thing???
So, opportunity knocked and I chucked the Cooker on the back of the car and headed out to the Ache with the dog. Straight in and to the right, catching up to a woman on a flash carbon 29er singlespeed, following for a short while then getting by and ahead. The 4.25 inch tires sticking to the trail like nothing else. Practically steers itself round the corners. I took a couple of off-piste lines through here, and any of the sandy blow-outs, the bike just floated right over. Into the climb to the gazebo and then speeding downhill and through into the bit that'd been closed and then out to the dunes.
Along the front and I took a couple of lines that regular tires would have sunk right in to. The sandy blow-outs along the top here proved un-eventful. Further along I tried out one of the hare-trails off the left and bombed over a back dune into some pines, but then spotted some other dogs (big ones) being walked, so hauled up Jet and turned back to the main track. Once at the forest section I took heaps of off piste lines, finding adventure left right and centre. Eventually found one that climbed out to the top of the dune way before the main track does, and followed it along the top. Sweet riding on sand. Found the regular track again, where it rides along the top of the dune, then hung a right and ploughed down the path onto the beach. Fun descent and then with a tail wind we cruised for a km or so along the beach til I spotted a saddle in the dune easily ridden up, finding it to be a horse trail, loose sand though still rideable, and then a right hander back onto one of the main drags in here.
Along this for a while then took a line off to the left where there may have once-upon-a-time been a track but no longer. Up and over through around back up and then into a thicket which I had to turn back out of. Then over and through to a drop down back onto another forestry road further in again. This one ended up being very close to the singletrack that heads north into Spencer Park, so followed this for a while. Then, did some more riding around in the forest finding how close various trails actually are to each other, and was on the trail heading back. Lots of cool lines, wall-ride type things, extra high berms to be ridden, that due to their sandy nature normal bikes would get stalled in. Lots of fun.
Finally back to 'Muddy Rd' and back into the usual loop trails, taking every old disused track I could find. Jet starting to tire a wee bit, and me a little. The fatbike rolls just as easy as a regular bike. And if it is a little harder, that'll only make me stronger, right? The last sort of new section that was built to avoid logging is seriously shittily made, and was okay last time on the 5-Spot, but not okay on the old singlespeed, proved not so bad, but not as good as the Turner. Once back at the final return road, I took one last blast off into the forest, riding randomly in and through and back out, just for the hell of it. Big tires make interesting echoes when sticks and stones whack them. Tis quite an experience.
So. Test number 1 successful. Where else can I ride this thing???
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Saturday morning Jet in the Forest
Quick one with Jet this morning. Not much time due to things doing, so left home a bit after 9 and were hitting the trail at 9.35, parking up top of Worsleys Rd and heading up the same one Nelson and me took on Tuesday. Jet doing his usual lope along ahead. Beautiful morning, and was thankful for the shade provided once up under the forest. Rode all the way up scoping out where trails off the side were, but getting to the last big corner where the jumpy track crossed. Just looking at it, wondering where to go when a guy on a 29er came up, also only his second time up here too. Chatted a bit then he headed on up and I took off down below the main track following the swoopy jumpy track, with easy lines either side of each jump. Dropped down a ways, using the altitude well, back and forth then sort of petering out after crossing a pylon access track. Followed this down to the pylon thinking there might be another way out of there, but nope, so, back up the pylon access track, seemingly not that long back to the main track I'd left earlier.
From here I headed back down it, and checked out first one trail above it, which ended nowhere, then off another corner another pylon type track down, which I never got to the end of, then back up this, and onwards down the main track, finding a singletrack dropping down, which I followed, finding that when it reached it's bottom it turned around and headed back up, too steep to ride... back to the main track, and down hill a bit then down another singletrack, this time it was promising but didn't really amount to much and headed back across and ending at the intersection below the powerlines. So, all possibilities explored, I headed back off up hill, with roughly 15 minutes to spare. All the way up to the top, saying gudday to these young groms on the jumpy track, then hitting up the main Worsley Drag, straight up the entry to the BeeLines, and straight into Tommy's. Good swoopy blast down this, holding the right hand line most of the way down, then taking it all the way down around the bottom and coming out onto the guts track just above the pylon gap and below Fight Club entrance. Down through the gap, hung a left, kept right and dropped across the guts track and down the old favourite that had the steep droppy bit but doesn't go all the way down anymore, but pops out not far down from the Junction. Up to this, and down the final stretches back to the car. 1 hour's riding all up. A hot and happy dog in the car on the way home.
From here I headed back down it, and checked out first one trail above it, which ended nowhere, then off another corner another pylon type track down, which I never got to the end of, then back up this, and onwards down the main track, finding a singletrack dropping down, which I followed, finding that when it reached it's bottom it turned around and headed back up, too steep to ride... back to the main track, and down hill a bit then down another singletrack, this time it was promising but didn't really amount to much and headed back across and ending at the intersection below the powerlines. So, all possibilities explored, I headed back off up hill, with roughly 15 minutes to spare. All the way up to the top, saying gudday to these young groms on the jumpy track, then hitting up the main Worsley Drag, straight up the entry to the BeeLines, and straight into Tommy's. Good swoopy blast down this, holding the right hand line most of the way down, then taking it all the way down around the bottom and coming out onto the guts track just above the pylon gap and below Fight Club entrance. Down through the gap, hung a left, kept right and dropped across the guts track and down the old favourite that had the steep droppy bit but doesn't go all the way down anymore, but pops out not far down from the Junction. Up to this, and down the final stretches back to the car. 1 hour's riding all up. A hot and happy dog in the car on the way home.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Tuesday's Social Worsley Nun Guv'nor
Had left my cellphone at home today, so never got a message from Andy about riding, and had organised with Nelson for something so he picked me up from work and we cruised across to Worsley's and up the hill. 5.45 by the time we unloaded and hit the trail. This time something new. Over the gate by the carpark and up the double singletrack through the gorse and broom strewn field, past the bottom of that jumpy trail and into new country. Good steady climb on well trodden 'singletrack', stopping to check out potential trails below this track. A guy on a Pivot appeared and told us a bit about the trails, and we cruised on up the hill with him, chatting away now and then, and us in awe of this cool new area. At a big corner a trail crossed the our track with jumps visible, and it was parallel to our track the rest of the way up. I'd been in the top of this area another time with Jet. The jumpy track crossed our track once or twice, and eventually we made the top, across the top of the forest and we were on the main drag of Worsley's just below the Body Bag.
Up the BodyBag we went. I struggled to keep my lunch down, Nelson and the Pivot dude rolled on apparently effortlessly to the top. I stopped in the steepest section and breathed very heavily for some time then got rolling again and managed to clean the rest of it, wanting to puke so bad as I laboured across the carpark and just getting it in check as I followed Nelson up the entrance to the Nun. He was a ways ahead and got off to walk... Puncture number one. I rode past him and collapsed at the top of the Nun and he arrived and got to fixing the leak. Some other riders turned up and we all chatted friendly like for a bit. One was even on a Switchback, and his mate was on a brandnew XC type bike, first time ever mountainbiking. One or two other riders cruised through and these guys took off. Then another guy on a Santa Cruz turned up and was from Rotovegas and after chatting with him for a bit he asked if he could tag along. No problem, so off down the Nun I led, then Nelson, then him. Lost the chain just before the steeeep corner, so, got that on again and off down we went - keeping it in a spinnier gear. Blast down here, swoopy swoopy fun times, easy going, and Nelson sorta holding back a bit to allow the other guy to keep him in view. I paused at the halfway point, waited for them both to nearly get to me then took off again. Good blast down the lower section with no sketchy nose wheelies due to the kicker part way down. I paused again down in the lower swoopies and heard Nelson curse, then spotted the other dude, so got rolling again out to the end. Our new friend turned up and indeed, another flat for Nels. Saw him up at the corner on the road waving and fixing so we rolled on up and he patched that.
Rolled on again, up the road, and at the carpark the guy decided he needed to make tracks, timewise, so we gave him directions to the Worsley trails and said goodbye. Nelson and me headed off over into the Gov's Bay track, which was rolling pretty good. Nice and tight and close knit, it was good rolling down round that side of the hill, having been practically a year since the last time. We decided we didn't have time, again, to go lower down and explore into the valley on the new(ish) section of trail, so continued around and up, me cleaning most of it, Nelson all of it, including the very top, which I fluffed and puffed-out on.
Onwards up the road again, this time all the way, with a short singletrack detour on the last section of the walktrack above the road before Worsleys Rd. Up this, and into the the descent. Hussin' down the Bodybag, nearly losing it just below the flat (was what a quagmire) spot but just saving it. Up into the B-Line trails and on up to the top of these. Short exploration looking for the supposed trail from the top, no sight of it, and then we hit Tommy2's... Awesome blaze down here, brakes getting hotter and hotter, some sketchy moments, but good descending. Two corners caught me out, and I ended up stopping, perched off the back of the bike, barely able to climb away from it, but rolling away straight away and riding the rest out. So steep! At the bottom there was an audience, and as I rolled through announced "woosy lines, me" in case they were expecting me to jump stuff.
Climb climb climb up to the junction then up the Guts track, gasping yet again, but cleaning it all up. Another chat stop with a random under the power lines, then onwards and upwards to the cliff top. Into Wayne's World, taking a couple of weird corners but then finding the one I wanted and across and down, Nelson not knowing where he was, thinking I was leading him down the shit track descent shortcut, but no, across to Fight Club and swooping down this, relishing the pump and the flow. All the way down and through then back into the climb out, faster this time, for some reason, then into the final descent, some time around or after 8 back at the car. Good ride.
Up the BodyBag we went. I struggled to keep my lunch down, Nelson and the Pivot dude rolled on apparently effortlessly to the top. I stopped in the steepest section and breathed very heavily for some time then got rolling again and managed to clean the rest of it, wanting to puke so bad as I laboured across the carpark and just getting it in check as I followed Nelson up the entrance to the Nun. He was a ways ahead and got off to walk... Puncture number one. I rode past him and collapsed at the top of the Nun and he arrived and got to fixing the leak. Some other riders turned up and we all chatted friendly like for a bit. One was even on a Switchback, and his mate was on a brandnew XC type bike, first time ever mountainbiking. One or two other riders cruised through and these guys took off. Then another guy on a Santa Cruz turned up and was from Rotovegas and after chatting with him for a bit he asked if he could tag along. No problem, so off down the Nun I led, then Nelson, then him. Lost the chain just before the steeeep corner, so, got that on again and off down we went - keeping it in a spinnier gear. Blast down here, swoopy swoopy fun times, easy going, and Nelson sorta holding back a bit to allow the other guy to keep him in view. I paused at the halfway point, waited for them both to nearly get to me then took off again. Good blast down the lower section with no sketchy nose wheelies due to the kicker part way down. I paused again down in the lower swoopies and heard Nelson curse, then spotted the other dude, so got rolling again out to the end. Our new friend turned up and indeed, another flat for Nels. Saw him up at the corner on the road waving and fixing so we rolled on up and he patched that.
Rolled on again, up the road, and at the carpark the guy decided he needed to make tracks, timewise, so we gave him directions to the Worsley trails and said goodbye. Nelson and me headed off over into the Gov's Bay track, which was rolling pretty good. Nice and tight and close knit, it was good rolling down round that side of the hill, having been practically a year since the last time. We decided we didn't have time, again, to go lower down and explore into the valley on the new(ish) section of trail, so continued around and up, me cleaning most of it, Nelson all of it, including the very top, which I fluffed and puffed-out on.
Onwards up the road again, this time all the way, with a short singletrack detour on the last section of the walktrack above the road before Worsleys Rd. Up this, and into the the descent. Hussin' down the Bodybag, nearly losing it just below the flat (was what a quagmire) spot but just saving it. Up into the B-Line trails and on up to the top of these. Short exploration looking for the supposed trail from the top, no sight of it, and then we hit Tommy2's... Awesome blaze down here, brakes getting hotter and hotter, some sketchy moments, but good descending. Two corners caught me out, and I ended up stopping, perched off the back of the bike, barely able to climb away from it, but rolling away straight away and riding the rest out. So steep! At the bottom there was an audience, and as I rolled through announced "woosy lines, me" in case they were expecting me to jump stuff.
Climb climb climb up to the junction then up the Guts track, gasping yet again, but cleaning it all up. Another chat stop with a random under the power lines, then onwards and upwards to the cliff top. Into Wayne's World, taking a couple of weird corners but then finding the one I wanted and across and down, Nelson not knowing where he was, thinking I was leading him down the shit track descent shortcut, but no, across to Fight Club and swooping down this, relishing the pump and the flow. All the way down and through then back into the climb out, faster this time, for some reason, then into the final descent, some time around or after 8 back at the car. Good ride.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Thursday Slippery when wet
Nelson picked me up opposite work and the traffic was typically heavy, slowing our journey to Mt Pleasant, eventually we parked up top on the Upper Major as the rain began. Paused briefly in the car thinking it might desist, and it did, until we actually got riding and then it just opened up properly, but we were riding, Nelson had his jacket on, and I just resigned myself to getting 'a bit' wet. Up Britten Reserve and then around on the first (of many) rocky slickages, around the original Britten track. Brief pause in the dry under the trees deciding where to go, then onwards around, slick-as greasy-arse rocks squirrelling us all around the show. Onto the road and a slow (to avoid splecky splashage) descent to Cavendish Saddle.
Up the climb, nice pace, trail in good nick, water just starting to flow down it in spots. Near the top, some fucking imbeciles in a 4wd have obviously driven over it - dicks have run down all the tussocks on first one side of the track then the other. At the top, the rain was still falling and so we figured the descent might be a bit dodge... It was. We picked our way down through the first rocky sections, getting the hang of descending, braking and not braking, and squirellations, before the stile. Over that and down through the first steep rocks, hmmm... no problemo. Onwards down and sweet running, allowing the back wheel to make it's own path down and hoping it wouldn't make that path too far from the one the front was taking. Once in the open tussocks section the rain continued, but the trail was less pin-bally, tho the dirt looked to have potential slickness (but seemed to flow okay). Some quite eerie low cloud through here too. Then, in the even heavier rain, on the 4wd bit down to Greenwood, we stopped for Nelson to eat something. I was utterly drenched to the skin at this point.
Onwards down, past the ruins and into the trail, rocks dicey but we were getting used to it, and speed was not high. All the way down, bit of water starting to run or pool in places, rocks pinging wheels about the place, but not as bad as it could have been. Rain continuing to fall heavily on this lee side of the hill. Lower down, where the nasty quag was before the wee valley, the clay here would stick to the tires, but the rest of the browner dirt was good to go. Bollocksed both rocky ups. Neither of us trusted them. Last blast to the road was fine, tho a bit of pooling on the swoopy stuff before the last corners.
Up the road, the rain easing now that we were off the singletrack. And almost gone by the rounding of the corner under the pines, but returning as we climbed to top of Britten. Final descent: dirt looked untrustworthy and so we were careful. Nelson said it was slick, but I didn't really notice it so much. May have just been the one corner tho. Back to the car, and the rain stopped... typical. I was totally soaked, so instead of him dropping me at TFC and me biking home, he dropped me off at home and I had to hustle to get back to the meeting at TFC a little late.
Up the climb, nice pace, trail in good nick, water just starting to flow down it in spots. Near the top, some fucking imbeciles in a 4wd have obviously driven over it - dicks have run down all the tussocks on first one side of the track then the other. At the top, the rain was still falling and so we figured the descent might be a bit dodge... It was. We picked our way down through the first rocky sections, getting the hang of descending, braking and not braking, and squirellations, before the stile. Over that and down through the first steep rocks, hmmm... no problemo. Onwards down and sweet running, allowing the back wheel to make it's own path down and hoping it wouldn't make that path too far from the one the front was taking. Once in the open tussocks section the rain continued, but the trail was less pin-bally, tho the dirt looked to have potential slickness (but seemed to flow okay). Some quite eerie low cloud through here too. Then, in the even heavier rain, on the 4wd bit down to Greenwood, we stopped for Nelson to eat something. I was utterly drenched to the skin at this point.
Onwards down, past the ruins and into the trail, rocks dicey but we were getting used to it, and speed was not high. All the way down, bit of water starting to run or pool in places, rocks pinging wheels about the place, but not as bad as it could have been. Rain continuing to fall heavily on this lee side of the hill. Lower down, where the nasty quag was before the wee valley, the clay here would stick to the tires, but the rest of the browner dirt was good to go. Bollocksed both rocky ups. Neither of us trusted them. Last blast to the road was fine, tho a bit of pooling on the swoopy stuff before the last corners.
Up the road, the rain easing now that we were off the singletrack. And almost gone by the rounding of the corner under the pines, but returning as we climbed to top of Britten. Final descent: dirt looked untrustworthy and so we were careful. Nelson said it was slick, but I didn't really notice it so much. May have just been the one corner tho. Back to the car, and the rain stopped... typical. I was totally soaked, so instead of him dropping me at TFC and me biking home, he dropped me off at home and I had to hustle to get back to the meeting at TFC a little late.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Sunday's easternlinguists
No riding this week on account of Robin's Wednesday's 50th bollocksing up my form disabling me from riding with Nelson Thursday night, then Mum going into a freakin' coma - which I'm glad to say she's out of now, but still with a long road to recovery.
Met the posse at Ferrymead bridge. I drove there, whereas they'd all biked. There, were Pete, Steve, Andy, Wazza, Wayno and Marie. We battled road cones around to the Causeway then cruised through to Scumner and up Bitch-mond Hill. Usual staggering out of the group and regrouping top of road and then the trees at the top and then it was up the 4wd track to Greenwood and a nice long rest. Headed into the singletrack and I seemed to be on fire. Good flow most of the way, one or two weird stall-ups but mostly just blazed down the hill. Very good. Dropped the chain just before the wee valley near the bottom, and then again just before the very end. Pete practically had a flat front tire by the end. Tiny hole in his tire pissing air and goo, which stopped once it got hole side down. Air inserted. Steve complained of a bad run, but most others seemed chuffed. Re-assembled here and rode across Evans Pass to Godley.
Nice and easy into here, tootling up the first bits, and then I dug it in and cleaned up the grunty rocky climb. Dabbed in the second one up top but felt pretty good having got the first one. No one else had my luck, and Steve had another bad run out the climby bits. Re-grouped at the 'landing strip' top, and Marie continued on through, Steve and Wazza jumping in behind her, while the other 4 of us just hung back for a bit, Andy pumping air into his now-low pressure tire. I took off and had an awesome run down here. Everything flowed, was mint. Across Livingston, the others in view on the climb. Passed Marie before the rockiest section, spotted Steve ahead and gunned it but didn't catch him before the end. His riding had improved and his descent to Livingston and the rest was goooood.
Another regroup at Breeze and off down Anaconda. Again. Speed was my friend, with very few dodginesses. As I got lower I contemplated the, shall we say, risk of my endeavours and would have crossed my fingers to not crash had I been able to. Seemed to work cos I jettisoned across the final stile into the field at the bottom at a ridiculous speed. Cant remember the last time I had such a good run down here. The others all agreeing they'd had pretty damned fine descents too.
Regroupage and off up the road. Pete and me gapped the others, keeping a good pace all the way and got a nice rest at the top before I led everyone off down through the new-ish route through Nicholson Park that Nelson and me have done the last couple times. Awesome blast through dirt sections and fun wee hoon down between the houses. Finally flying down Whitewash and onto the road around the water front and kai at Dotcom. Got word here that Mum was out of the coma, which was good news. Last but not least, a bit of slipstreaming across the Causeway and me back to the car, home around 1.
Met the posse at Ferrymead bridge. I drove there, whereas they'd all biked. There, were Pete, Steve, Andy, Wazza, Wayno and Marie. We battled road cones around to the Causeway then cruised through to Scumner and up Bitch-mond Hill. Usual staggering out of the group and regrouping top of road and then the trees at the top and then it was up the 4wd track to Greenwood and a nice long rest. Headed into the singletrack and I seemed to be on fire. Good flow most of the way, one or two weird stall-ups but mostly just blazed down the hill. Very good. Dropped the chain just before the wee valley near the bottom, and then again just before the very end. Pete practically had a flat front tire by the end. Tiny hole in his tire pissing air and goo, which stopped once it got hole side down. Air inserted. Steve complained of a bad run, but most others seemed chuffed. Re-assembled here and rode across Evans Pass to Godley.
Nice and easy into here, tootling up the first bits, and then I dug it in and cleaned up the grunty rocky climb. Dabbed in the second one up top but felt pretty good having got the first one. No one else had my luck, and Steve had another bad run out the climby bits. Re-grouped at the 'landing strip' top, and Marie continued on through, Steve and Wazza jumping in behind her, while the other 4 of us just hung back for a bit, Andy pumping air into his now-low pressure tire. I took off and had an awesome run down here. Everything flowed, was mint. Across Livingston, the others in view on the climb. Passed Marie before the rockiest section, spotted Steve ahead and gunned it but didn't catch him before the end. His riding had improved and his descent to Livingston and the rest was goooood.
Another regroup at Breeze and off down Anaconda. Again. Speed was my friend, with very few dodginesses. As I got lower I contemplated the, shall we say, risk of my endeavours and would have crossed my fingers to not crash had I been able to. Seemed to work cos I jettisoned across the final stile into the field at the bottom at a ridiculous speed. Cant remember the last time I had such a good run down here. The others all agreeing they'd had pretty damned fine descents too.
Regroupage and off up the road. Pete and me gapped the others, keeping a good pace all the way and got a nice rest at the top before I led everyone off down through the new-ish route through Nicholson Park that Nelson and me have done the last couple times. Awesome blast through dirt sections and fun wee hoon down between the houses. Finally flying down Whitewash and onto the road around the water front and kai at Dotcom. Got word here that Mum was out of the coma, which was good news. Last but not least, a bit of slipstreaming across the Causeway and me back to the car, home around 1.
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Sunday Bottled Klunking
Maybe some of the boys met at Steve's and rode, but i know Steve, Pete and Wazza were all out. And I pulled out last minute cos of wedding in Ashvegas yesterday and only getting home at 1.40am - not enough sleep.
So. Somewhere between 10.30 and 11 - O, Jet and me got out to Bottle Lake - me with the Klunker for the first time. I've been using it round the redzone plenty regular, but this was it's first 'trail' outing. 2:1 ratio perfect for out there, and the back pedal brake was fine, except for one little steep out near North Beach (re-opened trails) that was a bit of a sketchy locked up skid. Ooops.
So, we headed in and hung a right. Kinda followed a family for a bit, but their boy (who looked bigger than O) was slower than O was, so eventually they let us past. Me and O bombed the first section through towards the pagoda hill. I managed to grovel up to the pagoda, but was sure breathing hard at the top. Next section along the top and down was good, tho O could have gone faster on that descent. I was having to feather the brake a little. In hear for the last year or more we've been having to head through past those ponds, but now it's opened up again to the right, through some trees I cant believe are so big then into major clearance since last we were in there. Looks like that jump might still be in existence, but shit's sure changed. Along where i had my moment, and then short regroup before heading north along the beach trail. At the top where the sand blow-outs always are (and were today) we stopped and headed onto the beach. Jet went in to cool off, and then so did we! I stripped to my gruds, O was wearing boardies. Dived in and it was magnificently refreshing. Got out and whipped off the gruds and back into my short liners then shorts and off we went again.
Along the beach north, then in and back onto the usual trail, taking in all the older less used trails where the splits happen later, then along 'muddy' road and back towards base. O slowing down, and it getting pretty hot for Jet, but he was lapping it up and loving it all. Ended up back at the car about 12.30? Nice
3 years of the Troll...!!!
So. Somewhere between 10.30 and 11 - O, Jet and me got out to Bottle Lake - me with the Klunker for the first time. I've been using it round the redzone plenty regular, but this was it's first 'trail' outing. 2:1 ratio perfect for out there, and the back pedal brake was fine, except for one little steep out near North Beach (re-opened trails) that was a bit of a sketchy locked up skid. Ooops.
So, we headed in and hung a right. Kinda followed a family for a bit, but their boy (who looked bigger than O) was slower than O was, so eventually they let us past. Me and O bombed the first section through towards the pagoda hill. I managed to grovel up to the pagoda, but was sure breathing hard at the top. Next section along the top and down was good, tho O could have gone faster on that descent. I was having to feather the brake a little. In hear for the last year or more we've been having to head through past those ponds, but now it's opened up again to the right, through some trees I cant believe are so big then into major clearance since last we were in there. Looks like that jump might still be in existence, but shit's sure changed. Along where i had my moment, and then short regroup before heading north along the beach trail. At the top where the sand blow-outs always are (and were today) we stopped and headed onto the beach. Jet went in to cool off, and then so did we! I stripped to my gruds, O was wearing boardies. Dived in and it was magnificently refreshing. Got out and whipped off the gruds and back into my short liners then shorts and off we went again.
Along the beach north, then in and back onto the usual trail, taking in all the older less used trails where the splits happen later, then along 'muddy' road and back towards base. O slowing down, and it getting pretty hot for Jet, but he was lapping it up and loving it all. Ended up back at the car about 12.30? Nice
3 years of the Troll...!!!
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
Wednesday Spriving Lings
Nelson collected me from across the road from work and we crawled through the usual muppetry that is rush 'hour' towards the hills. Up and over Dyers Pass Rd and through to Bamford Rd, parking up under the macracarpas. TWO years since we'd last visited! A warm and windy evening. Through the gate and across the creek and on around the foot of the hill with the rutty downhill and through the tight bermed corner before the first grunty climb to take us up to the Pines. Plodded our ways up this and into the trees where it was rather dark for shades, dead on 6pm as we entered here. Left the sunnies on for a while but about 2/3rds of the way up there was a small pine across the track, which we shifted and shoved out of the way. Sunnies off here. On up to the top and a brief stop for air on Rhymes with Orange.
Then we detoured around the Outdoor Camp area looking for trails we vaguely remembered, not really seeing any, and looking further up the road a bit for trails I thought were meant to be going in there, but nope. So, back past the camp and down onto Mississippi for the swoopy loose and tight-as-tight-can-be descent before winding around and back up a bit and into Zanes - again with the swoopiness and looseness and tightness. We were thinking a 29r with 800 wide bars would be treacherous. A leaf got caught in my marshguard and buzzed annoyingly, so stopped to back it out. Then off again and down. Out the bottom, launching nice air on the hump by the bridge.
Second lap, around the bottom sidling trail, this time taking in the wee 'canyon drop' and then turning around heading up the steeeeeeep track in the middle, me walking 3 times, that takes us to the top of Mississippi and around onto Rhymes with Orange where we stopped for a well earned rest. Into the Pines for an, at times, skiddy descent. But mostly nice and flowy. Turned around at the bottom and rode back up it, me gasping more this time. Resting again in Oranges, watching a falcon cruising the thermals, looking for rodentia. Then across and down Mississippi again, Nelson in the lead this time, and both flowing much better. Round and into Zanes and fanging it down here, a leaf getting stuck, again(!), I stopped to release it, and then squashed a testicle on my seat - much pain - which lasted til the bottom. Nelson got well ahead due to my agonising pause.
Third time lucky, across the sidler again, canyon drop, and down, then up up up to the pines, me slowing riiight down for these climbings, and Nelson doing reps or sets or whatever, going hard then buttoning off, going hard etc. Resting again in the Orange Rhymes. Final descent, into Mississippi, really getting the hang of it this time, the trees all mysteriously having stepped back from the track to make room for us. All tightness loosened, and way less sketchy. Powering up to Zanes and me staying tight on Nelson's tail this time, no bollocking and no leaf. 7.40pm back at the car.
Then we detoured around the Outdoor Camp area looking for trails we vaguely remembered, not really seeing any, and looking further up the road a bit for trails I thought were meant to be going in there, but nope. So, back past the camp and down onto Mississippi for the swoopy loose and tight-as-tight-can-be descent before winding around and back up a bit and into Zanes - again with the swoopiness and looseness and tightness. We were thinking a 29r with 800 wide bars would be treacherous. A leaf got caught in my marshguard and buzzed annoyingly, so stopped to back it out. Then off again and down. Out the bottom, launching nice air on the hump by the bridge.
Second lap, around the bottom sidling trail, this time taking in the wee 'canyon drop' and then turning around heading up the steeeeeeep track in the middle, me walking 3 times, that takes us to the top of Mississippi and around onto Rhymes with Orange where we stopped for a well earned rest. Into the Pines for an, at times, skiddy descent. But mostly nice and flowy. Turned around at the bottom and rode back up it, me gasping more this time. Resting again in Oranges, watching a falcon cruising the thermals, looking for rodentia. Then across and down Mississippi again, Nelson in the lead this time, and both flowing much better. Round and into Zanes and fanging it down here, a leaf getting stuck, again(!), I stopped to release it, and then squashed a testicle on my seat - much pain - which lasted til the bottom. Nelson got well ahead due to my agonising pause.
Third time lucky, across the sidler again, canyon drop, and down, then up up up to the pines, me slowing riiight down for these climbings, and Nelson doing reps or sets or whatever, going hard then buttoning off, going hard etc. Resting again in the Orange Rhymes. Final descent, into Mississippi, really getting the hang of it this time, the trees all mysteriously having stepped back from the track to make room for us. All tightness loosened, and way less sketchy. Powering up to Zanes and me staying tight on Nelson's tail this time, no bollocking and no leaf. 7.40pm back at the car.
Sunday, February 01, 2015
Sunday scorcher
Early start to beat the heat, meeting at Steve's at 8.15. Four of us - Wazza, Andy, Steve and me. Around Aynsley Tce and up Crap Happy. Man, what a crowd... Just a constant stream of people, on bikes, walking, running, as far as the eye could see, all the way up. None of us gapping out too much, brief regroup at the top then into Vernon, chasing down the large group a fair ways ahead. I caught the last of them up on the top flat before the road. Across the road and another pause letting the big group and some other guys get ahead before we headed off. Caught up the three oldies, confusing them each time I caught one them thinking that I was one of their buddies... Slowed descent down and I finally passed the last one at the pond. Alas, at our old regroup spot there's the biiig group ahead, clusterfucked on the rocky sequence just round from there. I got going and caught their tail end Charlie not far round and so at the highest point I stopped and let the boys catch up and they kinda paused too, and let the muppets get ahead. Good enough gap, so got moving again, not a bad run around and at the next high spot, just after the cattle grate there was Mark and Marie. They turned back and joined us back to the forest where we had a nice long cool break in the shade.
Down the Thomsons, Steve leading the first half, me the second. Nice wee blasts, then across the Dyers Pass and into Old Dyers (first time since September (and 18 months before that!)). Fast blast down the first section, and I could hear someone on my tail. Finally I buttoned off and it was Mark. Continued our way down all the way, gleaning some shade, and strangely a few spits of rain as we rolled through the lower section before the climb to the road. Across the road and up into the trees, for another shady pause for regroup. Climbing together we topped, across and into the wee singletrack that leads to the skidder site. Another pause here, and then decided to hit up Cool Runnings, which I hadn't been down since 2012(!!!). It's quite unused, by the look of it. Some massive jumps, and in a couple of spots no bypass, but was a fun wee doddle and next into Flow and Bridges blasting out the bottom (again, catching someone), then into the Hidden Valley Link Track. Cleaned the creek, cleaned the first hairpin, then botched the second hairpin, balance rolling me off to the right. Cleaned up the rest of it, gasping for air and stopping in the last shade for a regroup as each team member caught up. Over the fence and another rest, Steve shooting the shit with some guy.
Marie headed on ahead, and Mark led the way to catch her. I nearly bollocksed one of the big corners (the one with that had a slip in it a year or so ago), but otherwise had a good run, passing Marie not long after the stile, then bombing it, chasing Mark all the way. He cleaned the final rut, but I baulked just before it. The others all hung a left avoiding the messy hole, and re all regrouped finally in the shade next to the jump park. Where to have coffee??? No local cafes appealed, so Elevate was decided on, and we (nearly) all ended up having an Erdinger - well earned. Home well before 12.
Down the Thomsons, Steve leading the first half, me the second. Nice wee blasts, then across the Dyers Pass and into Old Dyers (first time since September (and 18 months before that!)). Fast blast down the first section, and I could hear someone on my tail. Finally I buttoned off and it was Mark. Continued our way down all the way, gleaning some shade, and strangely a few spits of rain as we rolled through the lower section before the climb to the road. Across the road and up into the trees, for another shady pause for regroup. Climbing together we topped, across and into the wee singletrack that leads to the skidder site. Another pause here, and then decided to hit up Cool Runnings, which I hadn't been down since 2012(!!!). It's quite unused, by the look of it. Some massive jumps, and in a couple of spots no bypass, but was a fun wee doddle and next into Flow and Bridges blasting out the bottom (again, catching someone), then into the Hidden Valley Link Track. Cleaned the creek, cleaned the first hairpin, then botched the second hairpin, balance rolling me off to the right. Cleaned up the rest of it, gasping for air and stopping in the last shade for a regroup as each team member caught up. Over the fence and another rest, Steve shooting the shit with some guy.
Marie headed on ahead, and Mark led the way to catch her. I nearly bollocksed one of the big corners (the one with that had a slip in it a year or so ago), but otherwise had a good run, passing Marie not long after the stile, then bombing it, chasing Mark all the way. He cleaned the final rut, but I baulked just before it. The others all hung a left avoiding the messy hole, and re all regrouped finally in the shade next to the jump park. Where to have coffee??? No local cafes appealed, so Elevate was decided on, and we (nearly) all ended up having an Erdinger - well earned. Home well before 12.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Tuesday Lapping up the laps
An hour or so to use tonight, before a PFMTBC trip organising meeting at Pete's, so Nelson picked me up from work and we twisted and turned through heavy traffic to Worsley's Rd. Parked up just round the first corner, at the bottom of the Farside tracks. First lap, up the old skool dirt track close to the road, puffing like crazy, gasping in fact. Then took Valhalla, first time down here, not having any idea where it was taking us or how. Steep few off camber corners, dropping quite a bit of altitude, close to the old original zig zag track that used to be in here, then it peeled across the slope, dropping now and then, and climbing a little towards the end. Lots of interesting features, but quite low speed on account of the off camberness.
Back onto the road and up for lap 2. This time, the next track on the left, 1 Trick Lucy. I'd been down the top of this once before, but peeled back across to Farside that time. This time, all the way. Somehow it squeezes in between Valhalla and Farside and finds it's way down in a similar nature to Valhalla. A few very cool wee features on it, lots of fun. Ends up joining Farside towards the end.
Back onto the road and up for lap 3. This time, skipping over Farside, and taking Utopia. Woot. Had done this once before with jet back in November, so it felt vaguely familiar. It blends into lower end of Fluffy Sheep which we got onto the next lap.
Back up the road for Lap 4. Into Fluffy Sheep this time, the first time either of us had been down this (tho I'd been up back in Nov.) Sweet wee blast down here, quite flowy and swoopy. A couple of really small 'jump' features, and smooth.
Lap 5, into the original Farside. Bloody brake ruts in the first steep section, but the rest of it was alright. Usual woopdewoops and squirrelly drops.
Lap 6, gave Valhalla another go, with me in the lead this time. Good spin down here again. Gonna take a while to get used to those off camber corners tho.
Lap 7, final lap. This time 1 Trick Lucy again. Haha, this time, Nelson missed the entrance, so I led the way down with him well behind me. Had a good run down and finished it in no time.
Each lap was about 5 minutes or less up, and 5 minutes or less down. Seven round trips done in 1 hour. Total altitude of the trail network is around 60 metres, so we did a bit over 400 m in total. Not bad for an hour's up and down. (updated with more accurate information from the boys doing it a week later and MapMyRiding it, measuring the altitude more accurately(ish) than my Topomapping guestimation).
Grabbed Noodle Canteen and a couple of beverages on the way to Pete's and made it there only minutes late. Wellington seems to be the go for the Annual Trippage this year...
Back onto the road and up for lap 2. This time, the next track on the left, 1 Trick Lucy. I'd been down the top of this once before, but peeled back across to Farside that time. This time, all the way. Somehow it squeezes in between Valhalla and Farside and finds it's way down in a similar nature to Valhalla. A few very cool wee features on it, lots of fun. Ends up joining Farside towards the end.
Back onto the road and up for lap 3. This time, skipping over Farside, and taking Utopia. Woot. Had done this once before with jet back in November, so it felt vaguely familiar. It blends into lower end of Fluffy Sheep which we got onto the next lap.
Back up the road for Lap 4. Into Fluffy Sheep this time, the first time either of us had been down this (tho I'd been up back in Nov.) Sweet wee blast down here, quite flowy and swoopy. A couple of really small 'jump' features, and smooth.
Lap 5, into the original Farside. Bloody brake ruts in the first steep section, but the rest of it was alright. Usual woopdewoops and squirrelly drops.
Lap 6, gave Valhalla another go, with me in the lead this time. Good spin down here again. Gonna take a while to get used to those off camber corners tho.
Lap 7, final lap. This time 1 Trick Lucy again. Haha, this time, Nelson missed the entrance, so I led the way down with him well behind me. Had a good run down and finished it in no time.
Each lap was about 5 minutes or less up, and 5 minutes or less down. Seven round trips done in 1 hour. Total altitude of the trail network is around 60 metres, so we did a bit over 400 m in total. Not bad for an hour's up and down. (updated with more accurate information from the boys doing it a week later and MapMyRiding it, measuring the altitude more accurately(ish) than my Topomapping guestimation).
Grabbed Noodle Canteen and a couple of beverages on the way to Pete's and made it there only minutes late. Wellington seems to be the go for the Annual Trippage this year...
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Swansong in the woods, Tuesday Worsley
Well, quite a nice wee ride tonight. Met the boyz on the flat approaching Worsley's at 6.20 or so, Andrew and Tony rolling in from their nearby abodes, Steve and Robin in the TFC van, and Wayne, Warren, Pete and me all in our own vehicles. Bikes all onto racks of Wayne and Warren and we drove to nearly the top of the road, riding from there up into the woods to find a sign saying Forest Closed, and Danger Keep Out tape that we promptly decided to ignore, riding up the guts of it all. Andrew had been through in the weekend, so how much could they have done in 2 days? Put up some tape or something??? Yeah, nearly. So, grunty grunty up the guts to the clifftop where a well earned break was had, then onwards up to the top of the forest, and up the steeeep to the top of Debbie Does...
Into here and one or two difficulties for one or two but a great run had. As we came into the darkness of the spruce, and the old stone ruins, I noticed how low the forest was, way more branches than usual kinda in your face. I led the boys up the garden path, peeling left onto the wee exit traverse track, but hell it was overgrown, and they, as usual, gave me stick (pun intended) about "Richard leading the way again". Weird, considering only 2 and a 1/2 months ago it was sweet... Anyway, once out of the dark forest it was alright, and back into the bigger woods and down a short bit of The Original B-Line before hopping over onto Tommy's, where I chose the left hand choice, bombing it down, swoopty woopty through veering very slightly left as far as you can swoop towards the pylon clearing then leading back to the main guts drag.
From here it was decided to have one last swansong on Fight Club, seeing as how it might all be shut up and ruined, so, short climb and then into it. Awesome run, swoopty woopty again, down and down, dusty as all get up, out to the exit climb, only to be greeted with a Closed Keep Out sign and tape. Also a brit Blur TR rider was coming down, and we gave him directions back up, so he was ahead and round the corner there's the bloody big skidder machine and a fair bit of forest already cleared - removing all the windthrow from last year's storm. Met him again at the junction and followed him down the exit trail out, then down the road, again giving directions to Farside.
Past the cars and down the road to Farside. Straight into it and what a wee blast. The brit on Wazza's tail on Pete's tail on my tail. Both Pete and Steve were first timers on this and enjoyed the crap out of it. Finally, down the road to the cars. Ribulet feeling the ride with a bit of an ache. I took the other two shuttle drivers back up while the others very kindly waited, and then Pete and me stopped at Poms for well earned beverages. Yummo.
Into here and one or two difficulties for one or two but a great run had. As we came into the darkness of the spruce, and the old stone ruins, I noticed how low the forest was, way more branches than usual kinda in your face. I led the boys up the garden path, peeling left onto the wee exit traverse track, but hell it was overgrown, and they, as usual, gave me stick (pun intended) about "Richard leading the way again". Weird, considering only 2 and a 1/2 months ago it was sweet... Anyway, once out of the dark forest it was alright, and back into the bigger woods and down a short bit of The Original B-Line before hopping over onto Tommy's, where I chose the left hand choice, bombing it down, swoopty woopty through veering very slightly left as far as you can swoop towards the pylon clearing then leading back to the main guts drag.
From here it was decided to have one last swansong on Fight Club, seeing as how it might all be shut up and ruined, so, short climb and then into it. Awesome run, swoopty woopty again, down and down, dusty as all get up, out to the exit climb, only to be greeted with a Closed Keep Out sign and tape. Also a brit Blur TR rider was coming down, and we gave him directions back up, so he was ahead and round the corner there's the bloody big skidder machine and a fair bit of forest already cleared - removing all the windthrow from last year's storm. Met him again at the junction and followed him down the exit trail out, then down the road, again giving directions to Farside.
Past the cars and down the road to Farside. Straight into it and what a wee blast. The brit on Wazza's tail on Pete's tail on my tail. Both Pete and Steve were first timers on this and enjoyed the crap out of it. Finally, down the road to the cars. Ribulet feeling the ride with a bit of an ache. I took the other two shuttle drivers back up while the others very kindly waited, and then Pete and me stopped at Poms for well earned beverages. Yummo.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Tuesday evening East End meander (700th Post!)
Welcome to post number 700!!! (coming up on 10 years of this blog too...)
Nelson met at my place and we cruised out to Slumner, parking up at the beach. Headed up Stoke St and on up into Scumnervale and up the Captain. Insta-wheeze kicked in for me, and Nelson dropped me after the first corner. Top of the switchbacks I wheezed past a couple of guys waiting for us to roll through and it was up in the rocky ups that I caught Nelson, who was waiting for a couple more guys. Ride from here was okay, less wheezing but still struggling. Realising as we climbed and further into the ride that my rib was inhibiting my breathing, allowing me only to breath shallowly.
Top of Captain Thomas finally and a bit of a rest before we hit the Godley entrance. Nelson cleaned it all up, and I just about did. Paused briefly in the middle, but continued on up from where I'd stopped. On up and through, the ribs getting sorer and sorer the whole way out. Into the descent for Livingston, hot on Nelson's tail we flew down here. I had a couple of wee moments towards the bottom but survived it and rolled through the col and into the climb. Nelson pulled away again and then was waiting at the top again before the descent to Breeze, fun times on the rolling trail, but Nelson got some thistle splinters in his leg.
Decided to head up the little trail that climbs above the road, around the tight narrow sheep path, then up to the cool ass track that heads around above the harbour back to Breeze Col. Stopped and fixed up a rock feature we'd done before that someone had wrecked, and then rode on around, reveling at how much longer it was than we'd remembered it. Great ride around here and then a short break for food at top of Anaconda. A woman turned up on a bike around the road and headed down the snake as we sat, and so we sat for a while waiting for her to get a bit further ahead. Then it was into it, Nelson ahead. I was on his tail, just cruising along for a start, but once we were over the first cattle stop and around a couple corners I lost my chain so stopped to replace it, letting Nelson get miles ahead. From here on down I went pretty good but no chance of catching him. Into the 'tail and I could see the woman on going through the gate on the walking track, and then further round I could see Nelson ahead. Bit loose down this last section, hands holding the bars too tight and rib really starting to bite.
Into the climb, I delayered at the first corner, and then it was onwards and up and over. Catching the woman half way up Nelson chatted with her as I slowly gained on them. At the top she headed down the road and we headed into Nicholson Park, taking all the faster lines down, and then onto the hairpins and steps, then finally out the neat wee 'secret' trail out to Whitewash Head Rd, then down and back to the car around the waterfront...
Nelson met at my place and we cruised out to Slumner, parking up at the beach. Headed up Stoke St and on up into Scumnervale and up the Captain. Insta-wheeze kicked in for me, and Nelson dropped me after the first corner. Top of the switchbacks I wheezed past a couple of guys waiting for us to roll through and it was up in the rocky ups that I caught Nelson, who was waiting for a couple more guys. Ride from here was okay, less wheezing but still struggling. Realising as we climbed and further into the ride that my rib was inhibiting my breathing, allowing me only to breath shallowly.
Top of Captain Thomas finally and a bit of a rest before we hit the Godley entrance. Nelson cleaned it all up, and I just about did. Paused briefly in the middle, but continued on up from where I'd stopped. On up and through, the ribs getting sorer and sorer the whole way out. Into the descent for Livingston, hot on Nelson's tail we flew down here. I had a couple of wee moments towards the bottom but survived it and rolled through the col and into the climb. Nelson pulled away again and then was waiting at the top again before the descent to Breeze, fun times on the rolling trail, but Nelson got some thistle splinters in his leg.
Decided to head up the little trail that climbs above the road, around the tight narrow sheep path, then up to the cool ass track that heads around above the harbour back to Breeze Col. Stopped and fixed up a rock feature we'd done before that someone had wrecked, and then rode on around, reveling at how much longer it was than we'd remembered it. Great ride around here and then a short break for food at top of Anaconda. A woman turned up on a bike around the road and headed down the snake as we sat, and so we sat for a while waiting for her to get a bit further ahead. Then it was into it, Nelson ahead. I was on his tail, just cruising along for a start, but once we were over the first cattle stop and around a couple corners I lost my chain so stopped to replace it, letting Nelson get miles ahead. From here on down I went pretty good but no chance of catching him. Into the 'tail and I could see the woman on going through the gate on the walking track, and then further round I could see Nelson ahead. Bit loose down this last section, hands holding the bars too tight and rib really starting to bite.
Into the climb, I delayered at the first corner, and then it was onwards and up and over. Catching the woman half way up Nelson chatted with her as I slowly gained on them. At the top she headed down the road and we headed into Nicholson Park, taking all the faster lines down, and then onto the hairpins and steps, then finally out the neat wee 'secret' trail out to Whitewash Head Rd, then down and back to the car around the waterfront...
Friday, January 09, 2015
Friday quick Sharlands
Swimming in the Maitai again wth the family I scarpered back to base, grabbed the bike and then drove back up past them and parked up at the bottom of Sharlands. Rode in, in the heat, about 3pm, up the road for a while, then pulled off down onto the creekside tracks, moseying up and finding the bottom of What The DOCtor Ordered, hung a left and followed the Sharlands Creek Track up cos it looked okay. Wasn't long and it got steep, so rode til I had to push a bit, ride and push for a bit, singletrack which seemed to become more and more overgrown. Then I passed the exit of Supplejack, then a couple more ups and downs and the exit of Matai. Continued on up for a bit to a bit of a juncture. Hmmmm, figured I wanted to look at one or t'other of those previous two so kept left and ended up pushing a lot, and riding a little, up some unknown to me trail, all in native forest, very nice, thinking all the way up, 'this'd be nice. this'd be tricky...' until I eventually got to an intersection of Matai and the one I was climbing, Rimu. Carried on climbing til I reached a fire-road and from here the view looking across towards Fringed Hill was telling me I was probably pretty near 400m up (actually only about 300 and something - ed). Headed back down Matai, and actually followed it all the way. Looked totally unridden for ages, and yet Ian had said they'd ridden it earlier this week. The leaf litter on it was undisturbed and it obviously doesn't get that much use, whereas Rimu had been well trodden. Quite a few corners I wasn't game to even think about attempting, too steep, too much exposure into the bush below, and my rib wouldn't thank me. As it was, I scuffed my wound on my thigh with my tire (exactly how it came into existence...), yowchy! Eventually got to the bottom of Matai and continued up Sharland's Creek Track which involved a few walky bits, and then crossed the creek where another one meets it, and climbed up for a bit and through to eventually where What The DOCtor Ordered 'officially' begins. Seat up here, and headed down this, at full tilt... Fast scuffy descent. One or two close calls, but mostly pretty good control. Lots of vegetation overgrowing the track, scraping me a bunch and killing sight lines. Blasty flow on (semi) familiar trails. Ending up back out to the car just after 4 and I went and joined the family and hit the swimming hole, cooling down nicely.
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Wednesday First Ride of the Year - Peeaaking
In Nelson for the week, so met Ian and Leigh (Lee? Leah?) on the Cathedral steps at 8.50am and we headed for the hills. Usual route through town up the Brook to Codgers and up the main drag to Tantragee, turning out to be a bit of a scorcher... Easy, but good pace all the way, then up Fringed Hill. Hot, baking sun, pounding down on us; no shade round here. A good grind, grovelling away in granny, but chatting most of the time except for the few grunts. Shade in one valley, rest and water, then onwards to the top. Walked the steep approach to the communication towers and sat for well earned feed and rest at the very top of 793m.
Off into Black Diamond Ridge. Short riding section then steep climb, ride, steep climb up to 839m and then a good descent with a few wee walky up sections thrown in for good measure down to 732, then a last climb up to the 812 intersection. Another rest here then into Sunshine Ridge... Hooo. Roots, roots, roots, drops and more roots. I walked once or twice. Was a lot longer than I remembered and was goooood. Rib was holding together, but getting pretty sore the further down we went. All the braking and twisting and controlling was flexing it something wicked. I'ma be sore for a few days from this I think. Many many features down this ridge, with roots being the predominant one. So many roots!
Finally we made it to the top of Peaking Ridge, must be on about the 670m point. Waaaay better signposted to the first time I ever rode it (possibly this one?)... Off down here with the steepest bit about to hit. Of course Ian just flew down it - I got a little way down it then bailed and walked, as did Leigh. From here tho, it was all pretty good. One or two sections walked but mostly a good roll. Lower down I was getting pretty peaked, looking foward to the bottom. Once section in the manuka which I'm sure I've ridden in the past just looked too much, so walked that and we watched as Leigh psyched herself and then cleaned it down. Great blast from here down to the finish, hot and dry in the manuka. 3.5 hours to this point.
Off down the Maitai, staying on the singletrack alongside the pipeline and then leaping into the bottom of the 629 trail to the road. Down the road, gravel becoming seal and then down and down til past Sharlands Rd, found my family having a picnic on the Maitai, 4hrs riding done.. Said seeya's to Ian and Leah and joined the family and coooooled off in the river.
Off into Black Diamond Ridge. Short riding section then steep climb, ride, steep climb up to 839m and then a good descent with a few wee walky up sections thrown in for good measure down to 732, then a last climb up to the 812 intersection. Another rest here then into Sunshine Ridge... Hooo. Roots, roots, roots, drops and more roots. I walked once or twice. Was a lot longer than I remembered and was goooood. Rib was holding together, but getting pretty sore the further down we went. All the braking and twisting and controlling was flexing it something wicked. I'ma be sore for a few days from this I think. Many many features down this ridge, with roots being the predominant one. So many roots!
Finally we made it to the top of Peaking Ridge, must be on about the 670m point. Waaaay better signposted to the first time I ever rode it (possibly this one?)... Off down here with the steepest bit about to hit. Of course Ian just flew down it - I got a little way down it then bailed and walked, as did Leigh. From here tho, it was all pretty good. One or two sections walked but mostly a good roll. Lower down I was getting pretty peaked, looking foward to the bottom. Once section in the manuka which I'm sure I've ridden in the past just looked too much, so walked that and we watched as Leigh psyched herself and then cleaned it down. Great blast from here down to the finish, hot and dry in the manuka. 3.5 hours to this point.
Off down the Maitai, staying on the singletrack alongside the pipeline and then leaping into the bottom of the 629 trail to the road. Down the road, gravel becoming seal and then down and down til past Sharlands Rd, found my family having a picnic on the Maitai, 4hrs riding done.. Said seeya's to Ian and Leah and joined the family and coooooled off in the river.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Totaranui
No rides here, just never really got round to going over to Awaroa and back. Lots of swimming and snorkling and paddling the canoe on the lagoon and in the sea and also at Awaroa Inlet. Whilst walking one day over to Anapai we spotted about 6 bikers coming out of Gibbs Hill Track, which is meant to be closed to biking except during the same season as the Heaphy. So, one morning, O and me got on our bikes and poked our noses up this, just for a look. We probably only climbed about 50m and then conscience got the better of me and so we turned back and bombed down. It was kinda good training for him, cos he's never climbed anything that steep before, and was good for him on the brakes coming down too. It appears to be very much a DOC quadbike track.
Saturday Rameka
So, Nelson and me headed in Canaan Rd, leaving his car in the carpark up there (locked at night) and my car being driven down by Jo. The family (and Jo) had driven in to walk Harwoods Hole, so we saw the car (and canoe) there while they were in the bush. We hit the Canaan Loop Rollercoaster section, with it's tidied new climb and rolled and whooped through there with the bush section being really nice down to the carpark. Bit of cleaning and tweaking of drivetrains and off we set, up the climb to the entrance. One rider, at least, ahead of us.
Into the Rameka proper and it was wet from the torrential rain overnight. Roots were pretty greasy and some of the puddles mucky but mostly pretty good riding. Stopped a few times for photos, and once we were out of the National Park (2/3rds way along this section?) we found a few large tracts of windthrow from the Easter 2014 storms. Some massive trees down, but the trail is clear to ride. Finally into the couple of corners before dropping down into the Dozer section, in the tight left hand section the roots were treacherous, and I caught my shorts on my seat and ripped the arse out of them. Took them off and a lone woman rider turned up. Down from here and out of the forest and down into the marble cut climb, marble slick as a slick thing.
Into the Packtrack, Nelson blasting down ahead, me not so much, and I couldn't believe the near carnage he was getting, pinging and flicking all over the place in the greasy marble rocky sections. Just about crashed a couple times, but somehow he kept it together. A couple times we stopped, and the woman was never that far behind, but we'd leave her behind each time we took off again. Into Rameka Project. Awesome blast down here, forest was pretty slick, but once out of it the traverses back and forth across the hill were dry enough, if a little over grown. Finally down to the creek crossing, in seemingly no time, and straight through it and a well earned rest. Heard the woman up the hill away, again a little surprised by how close behind she was, and she walked through the ford and then headed off down the first Klick. Good roll down this, neat new boardwalk/raised 'bridge' skirting around a rock, floating above the rocky creek bed, past the woman again who was struggling on the riverbed boulders. And we rode up off the trail onto the road and bombed down this.
Into 2Klicks and I took Do while Nelson took Die. I had to slow where they rejoined each other or we'd have collided and I followed him down the blasty section towards the wooden jumpies. The one that has a backside to it he flew over catching mad high air and I did something dumb here, not sure what, baulked at the wrong moment or something, but launched into the air, badly positioned or did something stupid in the air, and landed with my arse out the back of the bike badly balanced and *I think* my left inside thigh hit the tire and my left ribs hit the back of my seat, and I kinda ragdoll-bounced off the bike and flew through the air and landed in the scrub on the right hand side of the trail, a spike impaling my stomach for good measure. Ugh. Picked up my bike, nothing broken on it so got chasing again, before I'd had a chance to worry about all the pain I was in. Caught up to Nelson at the road, him having heard my yelp. Couple of last sections of trail off the side of the road, with me taking Jazz and Nelson taking Rock'n'Roll.
Then it was gravel road blast to the seal and out to the main road. Stopped here to cover my indecent bike-undies with my ripped shorts and the woman rode past on her way to Takaka. We headed for Pohara, taking turns at slipstreaming, and being passed by my family at Clifton. Well earned swim and beers in Pohara. Until I was in the water, my ribs weren't really giving me any gyp, but then it felt like a weird twinge and the pain increased to a level that hasn't changed much since.
D'oh!
Into the Rameka proper and it was wet from the torrential rain overnight. Roots were pretty greasy and some of the puddles mucky but mostly pretty good riding. Stopped a few times for photos, and once we were out of the National Park (2/3rds way along this section?) we found a few large tracts of windthrow from the Easter 2014 storms. Some massive trees down, but the trail is clear to ride. Finally into the couple of corners before dropping down into the Dozer section, in the tight left hand section the roots were treacherous, and I caught my shorts on my seat and ripped the arse out of them. Took them off and a lone woman rider turned up. Down from here and out of the forest and down into the marble cut climb, marble slick as a slick thing.
Into the Packtrack, Nelson blasting down ahead, me not so much, and I couldn't believe the near carnage he was getting, pinging and flicking all over the place in the greasy marble rocky sections. Just about crashed a couple times, but somehow he kept it together. A couple times we stopped, and the woman was never that far behind, but we'd leave her behind each time we took off again. Into Rameka Project. Awesome blast down here, forest was pretty slick, but once out of it the traverses back and forth across the hill were dry enough, if a little over grown. Finally down to the creek crossing, in seemingly no time, and straight through it and a well earned rest. Heard the woman up the hill away, again a little surprised by how close behind she was, and she walked through the ford and then headed off down the first Klick. Good roll down this, neat new boardwalk/raised 'bridge' skirting around a rock, floating above the rocky creek bed, past the woman again who was struggling on the riverbed boulders. And we rode up off the trail onto the road and bombed down this.
Into 2Klicks and I took Do while Nelson took Die. I had to slow where they rejoined each other or we'd have collided and I followed him down the blasty section towards the wooden jumpies. The one that has a backside to it he flew over catching mad high air and I did something dumb here, not sure what, baulked at the wrong moment or something, but launched into the air, badly positioned or did something stupid in the air, and landed with my arse out the back of the bike badly balanced and *I think* my left inside thigh hit the tire and my left ribs hit the back of my seat, and I kinda ragdoll-bounced off the bike and flew through the air and landed in the scrub on the right hand side of the trail, a spike impaling my stomach for good measure. Ugh. Picked up my bike, nothing broken on it so got chasing again, before I'd had a chance to worry about all the pain I was in. Caught up to Nelson at the road, him having heard my yelp. Couple of last sections of trail off the side of the road, with me taking Jazz and Nelson taking Rock'n'Roll.
Then it was gravel road blast to the seal and out to the main road. Stopped here to cover my indecent bike-undies with my ripped shorts and the woman rode past on her way to Takaka. We headed for Pohara, taking turns at slipstreaming, and being passed by my family at Clifton. Well earned swim and beers in Pohara. Until I was in the water, my ribs weren't really giving me any gyp, but then it felt like a weird twinge and the pain increased to a level that hasn't changed much since.
D'oh!
Friday, December 19, 2014
Friday Evening Kaiteriteri
[Initially written on my phone so was short but is now embellishmented]. Nelson & me hit the road from Mot via Hop Federation about 6.25 and rolled into Kaiteri parking on the beach. Rode round and into the park. Up the EasyRider and around Cruise Control, Glade Runner, Revelation, a bit of swoopy fun. Then it was up Ziggy and CorkScrew to top, with a bit of a feed part way up Corky as it was super muggy and we were both pretty worn out from the drive up country in the day. From the view at the top we headed down into the new one, Jaws, which was lots of fun, lots of whoops and crazy wide banks and berms, then blasted briefly (tho longer than I'd expected) down Velocity (above Big Airs) to Skullduggery, across this, completely different to what I'd remembered, which I remember thinking last time I'd done it! (there was an altered bit in a dark little wet creeky area, but that doesn't explain how different it seemed) then from the RockFace intersection we continued on down Skullduggery's continuance (recognising where the tools had been (and it'd finished) last time) peeling off into Scoot, into Swish and back along the EasyRider, across into that last drop Half Pipe and back along road to beach. Straight into sea, awesome swim, and a Rakau IPA from HopFed. 9ish by the time we got back to Mot
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Tuesday muppety shorty followed by meeeeeting
Nelson picked me up outside work at 4.45ish and the Corona jettisoned us through the traffic to the top of Huntsbury Hill in reasonably short shrift. We needed to be at Wazza's for 7pm... Parked up, we changed and got riding, (b)easterly blustering it's wearisomeness upon our freshly clothed selves, very cool I was to start and for quite a while after, 5.20 as we passed under the pylons. Up we treadled against the gravity, friction of rock and tire, and slope - all which worked against our organic and inorganic machinations. Top of Huntsbury was made in good time and up there was a car with a guy getting screamed at by his lady (who was in the driver's seat), and he'd been wailed OUT of the car He was also randomly calling for a dog we couldn't see anywhere. Dumb-ugly domestics, and the dude was all aggressive saying shit like "what are you staring at?" to some of the other bikers around the place, minding their own business like ourselves. We rode on, and in fact, I lead the charge down the pea-gravel LCD shit-track that is Vernon. Bursts of speed, but also wary and feeling like a muppet. Didn't trust the gravel and my balance was plain weird and the shadows and tussocks all conspired to make many sections annoying. Lost my chain once (REALLY need to do something about that, obviously!). Had flow occasionally tho, and Nelson said I wasn't going that slow, so I don't know.
Anyway. Into and across Rapaki Top and Nelson took the climbing lead and I muppetted and he rocketted and then I got going okay and did alright by the end. Rolled around into the wind and up the hill to Castle-top and chatted to some runner dude here. Into the trail and for a start Nelson's dust and the rocks and the tussocks made a muppet of me again, but as I got going I got going faster and smoother and on the long straight(ish) approach to the first hairpin I was railing, catching Nelson fast, right on his tail through the hairpin and then hopping and popping through to the next hairpin. Down, over the rocks and through where we built that rock pile on that leaking spring that time juuust before the well-built wooden structure, pinchflat for Nelson... Stopped, parked up, very nice spot in the slip-gully out of the wind, nice and calm. He fixed, two riders rode past, on their ways up. 6.20 here, got rolling back up the trail. Cleaned the hairpins bar one very slight dab on the second, and then onwards up just grinding away and chatting. On the final approach to the top, Steve had mentioned he'd cleaned the top, so I dropped it down and perused my way along, Nelson grunting to a standstill and jumping out of the way for me while I said "if Steve can do it, so can I, if Steve can do it, so can I!" as I proceeded past him and on up to the top... :)
Here, there was a guy with a roady who struck up an amicable conversation and we stood and talked with him at great length. Ten minutes at least, and finally it was time to get a move on so off down the road, tucking towards the bottom rolling around, tail wind, me way out ahead (Nelson stopped to check out a slump's potential for a roller). Into Witch at a pretty good speed and onwards, climbing it all nicely then feeling pretty good on the way down to Rapaki, Nelson slowly winding me in to be close on my tail by Rapaki-top. Straight into Vernon, chasing a couple of 29ers who were already through the two hairpins before we made the cattlestop. Wound them in pretty quick and were on their tail for the last fifth or so before the Farm Track turnoff, where they moseyed to let us go on up. Burn burn burn to the top then over and onto the Traverse.
Tailwind blaze around and then down through the tussocks, maintrack, tussocks, and onto the old landing strip across to the fence, over, and sheepshit(dry tho) singletrack, crosswinds tweaking front wheels from your grasp, almost, and following Nelson down the hill at a good clip. Over the gate and shitloads of sheep, and jumps. Jump, jump, jump, railed berm into jump, across, through tussocks, jump, avoid rut, jump to flat, follow rut, rock drop, more rut, jump, and Nelson peels off the track to the left, I continue, jump to flat again, then wee double and roll to the gate, over and to the car. Nelson walking the last 50m or so.
Made St Martins New World before 7 then proceeded to find dinner and antioxidants and made Wazza's about 7.20. A few beers were enjoyed, and the DVD of the trip, which was enjoyed by all, and a damn good job Wazza's done!
Anyway. Into and across Rapaki Top and Nelson took the climbing lead and I muppetted and he rocketted and then I got going okay and did alright by the end. Rolled around into the wind and up the hill to Castle-top and chatted to some runner dude here. Into the trail and for a start Nelson's dust and the rocks and the tussocks made a muppet of me again, but as I got going I got going faster and smoother and on the long straight(ish) approach to the first hairpin I was railing, catching Nelson fast, right on his tail through the hairpin and then hopping and popping through to the next hairpin. Down, over the rocks and through where we built that rock pile on that leaking spring that time juuust before the well-built wooden structure, pinchflat for Nelson... Stopped, parked up, very nice spot in the slip-gully out of the wind, nice and calm. He fixed, two riders rode past, on their ways up. 6.20 here, got rolling back up the trail. Cleaned the hairpins bar one very slight dab on the second, and then onwards up just grinding away and chatting. On the final approach to the top, Steve had mentioned he'd cleaned the top, so I dropped it down and perused my way along, Nelson grunting to a standstill and jumping out of the way for me while I said "if Steve can do it, so can I, if Steve can do it, so can I!" as I proceeded past him and on up to the top... :)
Here, there was a guy with a roady who struck up an amicable conversation and we stood and talked with him at great length. Ten minutes at least, and finally it was time to get a move on so off down the road, tucking towards the bottom rolling around, tail wind, me way out ahead (Nelson stopped to check out a slump's potential for a roller). Into Witch at a pretty good speed and onwards, climbing it all nicely then feeling pretty good on the way down to Rapaki, Nelson slowly winding me in to be close on my tail by Rapaki-top. Straight into Vernon, chasing a couple of 29ers who were already through the two hairpins before we made the cattlestop. Wound them in pretty quick and were on their tail for the last fifth or so before the Farm Track turnoff, where they moseyed to let us go on up. Burn burn burn to the top then over and onto the Traverse.
Tailwind blaze around and then down through the tussocks, maintrack, tussocks, and onto the old landing strip across to the fence, over, and sheepshit(dry tho) singletrack, crosswinds tweaking front wheels from your grasp, almost, and following Nelson down the hill at a good clip. Over the gate and shitloads of sheep, and jumps. Jump, jump, jump, railed berm into jump, across, through tussocks, jump, avoid rut, jump to flat, follow rut, rock drop, more rut, jump, and Nelson peels off the track to the left, I continue, jump to flat again, then wee double and roll to the gate, over and to the car. Nelson walking the last 50m or so.
Made St Martins New World before 7 then proceeded to find dinner and antioxidants and made Wazza's about 7.20. A few beers were enjoyed, and the DVD of the trip, which was enjoyed by all, and a damn good job Wazza's done!
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Thursday night altitudinals
Rode Spot to work and after that rode to Nelson's work and we rushhoured to park next to Cracroft Reserve. Proceeded to grind up the road then on up the dirt. At the 'junction' we hopped over the fence to the right, and rode up a wee singletrack that cruised up the grass between the ruttsville main drag and the trees on the downhill side of the main drag. Up, under the powerlines, then up into what used to be 'rest corner'. Back on the main drag and up the techy rocky section, both with limited successes, then riding out the rest of it in good form, crawly crawly granny cruising. Bottom of the body bag, for a change, headed on up. Been a long time since I last ventured up this, May 1st in fact, the quagmire just over half way up now but a memory imprinted with scant evidence upon the trail. Ended up walking a fair bunch at the top as I just wasn't carrying my Bodybag lungs or legs. Nelson cleaned it all the way. Back on, and through the Lovers Leap carpark, up the gravel, me speeding up a bit, to top of Nun. Bit of spitty rain around here, but stopped for a bite to eat before we got rolling again.
Muppetry is the word. Rolled it all pretty smoothly, but kinda with our Cautious Colin hats on. There was definitely the potential for greasiness, but we didn't seem to get that much of it, and there was quite the (b)easterly blowing through, making any airborne sections sketchy. I felt like a rooky most of the way down. Like I wasn't used to the bike and wasn't used to the trail. 2/3rds of the way down the top section I dropped my chain, so Nelson got a good lead on me then. Metres before the midway carpark woofdog and son were doing some trail maintenance. Caught Nelson waiting here and we plowed our way down the rest of it, still not at great speeds, but not too bad either. No sketchiness, and powered out the end and straight back into the climb back up the road around and up to the top of Worsley's again.
Into the bodybag, me leading, taking the right hand side and regretting it several times. Good speed towards the bottom but still pretty dodge. Up the forest access, with Nelson leading straight into the extra bonus climb towards the very top, greasy as a greasy thing, with some slips and slides on the way. Onwards past Debbie's, and up to the top of T2 and the Goat (or Hangloose as we once knew it). Carefully into the Goat, but finding carefulness not absolutely necessary. Top section a little greasy, but manageable, and it kinda dried as we descended, tho was still sketchy in places lower down too. Did the first log drop after pulling up first round, walking back up a wee ways and dropping it wondering what the hell I'd been worried about all those other times of stepping down it. Second one further down, not so much. At least it's got an easier nana line. Then we stopped at the top of Yoda andwalked climbed down it, checking it out. Hell of a track. walked climbed down to where Nick crashed on it a couple weeks back, then clambered back up to our bikes. Onwards down the trail, steeeepnesssss, picking our ways carefully, bailing only one corner that you get to and it doesn't know what it's doing, leaving you guessing. Out the bottom and sweeet as. Into the climb.
Up the access to the 'junction', and then up the guts, all the way up to the clifftop, then into Waynes World, one really sketchy part near the top and the rolling out wondering if it's the right one (it was) and then into the lower bit and down into Fight Club and fanging it nicely all the way down and out, and back up the climb. 'Junction' and down, riding a different (older) line for a bit and enjoying it's flow, then jumping well towards the tank and finally out the bottom of it and down to where the groms park. Over the fence and into the grass track down, then joining the overgrown grassy singletrack down to the normal carpark and down the road (via a couple of sidelines) and eventually, into Farside, bombing down this, bottoming out in some of the dips and clinging for dear life to the side of the hill with the knobs on the sides of the tires, and out. Back up the road, me verrry slowly this time, for another go at the same trail, faster in places this time and finally out the end, down the road to the car, 8.05pm as we drove away. Home, and a bit tired after all that effort, close to 1000m of altitude climbed (and the same descended...) - not helped by a 5am start this morning.
Muppetry is the word. Rolled it all pretty smoothly, but kinda with our Cautious Colin hats on. There was definitely the potential for greasiness, but we didn't seem to get that much of it, and there was quite the (b)easterly blowing through, making any airborne sections sketchy. I felt like a rooky most of the way down. Like I wasn't used to the bike and wasn't used to the trail. 2/3rds of the way down the top section I dropped my chain, so Nelson got a good lead on me then. Metres before the midway carpark woofdog and son were doing some trail maintenance. Caught Nelson waiting here and we plowed our way down the rest of it, still not at great speeds, but not too bad either. No sketchiness, and powered out the end and straight back into the climb back up the road around and up to the top of Worsley's again.
Into the bodybag, me leading, taking the right hand side and regretting it several times. Good speed towards the bottom but still pretty dodge. Up the forest access, with Nelson leading straight into the extra bonus climb towards the very top, greasy as a greasy thing, with some slips and slides on the way. Onwards past Debbie's, and up to the top of T2 and the Goat (or Hangloose as we once knew it). Carefully into the Goat, but finding carefulness not absolutely necessary. Top section a little greasy, but manageable, and it kinda dried as we descended, tho was still sketchy in places lower down too. Did the first log drop after pulling up first round, walking back up a wee ways and dropping it wondering what the hell I'd been worried about all those other times of stepping down it. Second one further down, not so much. At least it's got an easier nana line. Then we stopped at the top of Yoda and
Up the access to the 'junction', and then up the guts, all the way up to the clifftop, then into Waynes World, one really sketchy part near the top and the rolling out wondering if it's the right one (it was) and then into the lower bit and down into Fight Club and fanging it nicely all the way down and out, and back up the climb. 'Junction' and down, riding a different (older) line for a bit and enjoying it's flow, then jumping well towards the tank and finally out the bottom of it and down to where the groms park. Over the fence and into the grass track down, then joining the overgrown grassy singletrack down to the normal carpark and down the road (via a couple of sidelines) and eventually, into Farside, bombing down this, bottoming out in some of the dips and clinging for dear life to the side of the hill with the knobs on the sides of the tires, and out. Back up the road, me verrry slowly this time, for another go at the same trail, faster in places this time and finally out the end, down the road to the car, 8.05pm as we drove away. Home, and a bit tired after all that effort, close to 1000m of altitude climbed (and the same descended...) - not helped by a 5am start this morning.
Sunday, December 07, 2014
Sunday mornin' Pleasant Nor'west Green Captains
Quick ride today. Dropped O off in Lyttelton and then got myself to Ferrymead bridge to meet Andy and Wayne, with Marie somewhere ahead of us toodling up the hill. We hit up St Andrew's, Marama into Cannon Hill Cres then through the park and on up Major Hornbrook to the top where we found her. About 10 it was by then, and 10.05 when we cruised on up through Britten with Marie saying for us to just go on ahead, her intending on heading into Greenwood the old way, while we continued on around Britten, then as per Tuesday, back along the Summit Rd and up Broadleaf. Good times from the top, with it reasonably fresh in memory from Tuesday, I certainly rode it smoother, not screwing up any of the tussocky corners. Looked at my watch as we rolled down through the ruins, and it was half an hour then since we'd started out from the bottom of Britten.
Awesome run down Greenwood, with Andy never too far off my tail. Lost my chain in the upper rocky bits, but a quick reinstall and Andy holding back left me with a continued lead. Excellent blast down the rest of it into Gloomy Gulch and below. Then just above Dave's sections there were a couple of guys waiting, and Andy and me rode past them but then they jumped in between us and Wayno. Good fang all the rest of the way down, with a bit of a dab through wrong gearing the first rocky up followed by a nice roll down the rest, to find Marie awaiting us.
Next, into Captain Thomas, with a runner chick paying more attention to her phone than the trail at hand getting run into by Wayne, after Andy and me had been past her. They've cleaned up some sections lower down, including around the first of the rock challenges, but we met a big clusterfuck of other riders here and so had to walk down it anyway. Next wee rocky up and down section is way tidier, and more likely to be rideable upwards, at a point where often we'd step off. Thankfully, the two rocky challenges further down are still intact, and us first two cleaned them both no prob, but Wayne walked down the second one i think. Final blast not bad, except for the silly bits near the very bottom. 11am here, we rolled down through the park and roads to Dot Com where we assembled for a coffee and snack. Then I took off cos I had to be home before 12 to meet our housesitter. The wind as I rounded into Moncks Bay was horrendous, having shifted from Nor'west to Southerly, i think, but not a cold on, and on the causeway it was coming at me from the left front quarter, making for a wearisome crossing. Back to the car and was home well before 12.
Awesome run down Greenwood, with Andy never too far off my tail. Lost my chain in the upper rocky bits, but a quick reinstall and Andy holding back left me with a continued lead. Excellent blast down the rest of it into Gloomy Gulch and below. Then just above Dave's sections there were a couple of guys waiting, and Andy and me rode past them but then they jumped in between us and Wayno. Good fang all the rest of the way down, with a bit of a dab through wrong gearing the first rocky up followed by a nice roll down the rest, to find Marie awaiting us.
Next, into Captain Thomas, with a runner chick paying more attention to her phone than the trail at hand getting run into by Wayne, after Andy and me had been past her. They've cleaned up some sections lower down, including around the first of the rock challenges, but we met a big clusterfuck of other riders here and so had to walk down it anyway. Next wee rocky up and down section is way tidier, and more likely to be rideable upwards, at a point where often we'd step off. Thankfully, the two rocky challenges further down are still intact, and us first two cleaned them both no prob, but Wayne walked down the second one i think. Final blast not bad, except for the silly bits near the very bottom. 11am here, we rolled down through the park and roads to Dot Com where we assembled for a coffee and snack. Then I took off cos I had to be home before 12 to meet our housesitter. The wind as I rounded into Moncks Bay was horrendous, having shifted from Nor'west to Southerly, i think, but not a cold on, and on the causeway it was coming at me from the left front quarter, making for a wearisome crossing. Back to the car and was home well before 12.
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Tuesday night Pleasantries & Greenwood both ways
Steve had set the plan to meet Upper Hornybrookes at 6.20 so Nelson & me made it with plenty of time to spare, only to discover I'd somehow left my helmet & gloves behind. D'oh! Never mind, Nelson's spare townie lid fits me as I'd discovered once before at the Wharfdale (back in 010). But I was forced to wear The Emperor's New Gloves, made from only the finest of rarified airs. Anyway, Robin was waiting when we arrived, then turned up Warren, then Andrew. No Steve tho, on account of his guts. Off up Britten we trundled. Then around to the end of the original traverse trail up there. Then back along the road and up Broadleaf all the way.
Into the descent, pinging past the builder of a new cell phone tower, down the rocks to the stile. Over here and in the second corner I dropped my chain. Others all passed and then I was in for the chase. Overtook Robin early-on just after the rocky sections, then through the swoopy tussocks wound in Warren by the end, both of us nearly running over a small black dog not being restrained by its owners.
Nelson led into the Greenwood mainframe with me right on his tail. Good run down, mostly. Rocks were rocky and the dirt was grippy. Chain stayed on all the way til the wee valley before the final blast, and so once again I was behind Warren at the end, much to his satisfaction. At the bottom some discussion was had and a parting of ways was the result, with Nelson and me accepting the challenge of seeing which way up was fastest, Greenwood or the road? Needless to say, it's not rocket surgery to work out which. Didn't help that we stopped pretty much immediately after setting off to check out the dodginess of the drop-off beside the second-to-last corner on the way down. Then some dude stopped and talked to us too.
Then we got riding. A good honest climb. Only a couple of pinches, nearly all of which we both cleaned, otherwise pretty straightforward. Stopped a couple of times to let riders through, including one enormous group of ten or fifteen or more - they just kept appearing over the brow of the hill! Some of the tail enders were really struggling on the rocks, including the last one who was carrying his bike. Finally out the top and we commented how seldom we ride that top section any more, and pretty much only ever in this direction these days too.
Up the road and into a rapid descent of Britten back to the car, the others long gone. Got home, and no helmet and gloves... Gone burger. Some fucker has scored. My doo-rag was across the road, so I'm figuring I left the helmet, gloves and it on the roof of the car as we drove off, and whoever found them left the doo-rag behind. fuck fuck fuck.
Into the descent, pinging past the builder of a new cell phone tower, down the rocks to the stile. Over here and in the second corner I dropped my chain. Others all passed and then I was in for the chase. Overtook Robin early-on just after the rocky sections, then through the swoopy tussocks wound in Warren by the end, both of us nearly running over a small black dog not being restrained by its owners.
Nelson led into the Greenwood mainframe with me right on his tail. Good run down, mostly. Rocks were rocky and the dirt was grippy. Chain stayed on all the way til the wee valley before the final blast, and so once again I was behind Warren at the end, much to his satisfaction. At the bottom some discussion was had and a parting of ways was the result, with Nelson and me accepting the challenge of seeing which way up was fastest, Greenwood or the road? Needless to say, it's not rocket surgery to work out which. Didn't help that we stopped pretty much immediately after setting off to check out the dodginess of the drop-off beside the second-to-last corner on the way down. Then some dude stopped and talked to us too.
Then we got riding. A good honest climb. Only a couple of pinches, nearly all of which we both cleaned, otherwise pretty straightforward. Stopped a couple of times to let riders through, including one enormous group of ten or fifteen or more - they just kept appearing over the brow of the hill! Some of the tail enders were really struggling on the rocks, including the last one who was carrying his bike. Finally out the top and we commented how seldom we ride that top section any more, and pretty much only ever in this direction these days too.
Up the road and into a rapid descent of Britten back to the car, the others long gone. Got home, and no helmet and gloves... Gone burger. Some fucker has scored. My doo-rag was across the road, so I'm figuring I left the helmet, gloves and it on the roof of the car as we drove off, and whoever found them left the doo-rag behind. fuck fuck fuck.
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